New Heart Tests Save San Diego Man’s Life

An optimal outcome is exactly what Keith Kendrick needed when it came to his heart health. Kendrick was in his 30s when he discovered he had a hereditary heart condition characterized by high cholesterol. Since he was adopted at birth, Kendrick didn’t know his full family history. He did know he had to be proactive with his heart health to ensure a healthy future. 

Now age 64, Kendrick has been on statin medications for three decades to keep his cholesterol in check. He has also always made sure to be under the care of a cardiologist in whatever city he lived. Since 1997 that city has been San Diego and that cardiologist has been Douglas Triffon, MD, Scripps Clinic cardiologist and medical director of the Scripps Lipid Clinic.

“Generally, because of my hereditary issue, I’ve kept a good watch on my diet,” Kendrick says. “But because I have the gene that’s not good news for cardiovascular health, I’ve made sure I see the team at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine. I’ve been seeing them regularly for 20 years. Once I entered my 60s, my statins were doing their job, but the team decided to run some additional tests.”  

A mere 48 hours later, Matthew Price, MD, Scripps Clinic interventional cardiologist, performed a stent procedure, clearing the precarious blockage in Kendrick’s artery. 

“Keith had a very severe narrowing in his artery,” Dr. Price explains. “I used an intravascular imaging technology called optical coherence tomography to map the inside of the artery and ensure an accurate placement of the stent. Here at Scripps, we use all types of adjunctive modalities to make sure we get perfect results. Plus, our integrated group works to make sure the handoff is seamless and there are no gaps in care between diagnosis and treatment.”

Kendrick’s results were so perfect, in fact, that five days later, he was back on a plane for another round-the-world trip, thankful for the persistence and knowledge of his medical team.

“Thank goodness I’ve been seeing Dr. Triffon for so long,” he says. “They’ve had my data for so long, they knew what I was experiencing was enough for them to be proactive and run additional tests.” 

Since his stent procedure in May 2019, Kendrick has maintained his pharmaceutical treatment with statins and has continued to see Dr. Triffon and his team every four or five months. His recent tests have produced excellent results. 

Key to Kendrick’s recovery has been the center’s comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program . The 12- week, 36-session program, a gold standard in the nation, is customized to each individual and their health needs. It’s a combination of education and exercise that teaches healthy cooking and nutrition, physical fitness and lifestyle changes.

“Our cardiac rehab program has one of the highest success rates in the entire country,” says Dr. Suhar. “That’s because our approach is educational — you don’t just come in, exercise and go home. We teach you how to shop at the grocery store, how to read labels, how to cook for your health, how to manage stress and reduce risk factors. Not only do we have one of the highest completion rates in the country, but our patients come out with a better understanding of how diet, exercise and lifestyle contribute to their overall health.”

Kendrick is living proof. After the completion of his 12-week program, he enjoyed the facility so much, he began working with a personal trainer who helped him tailor a workout plan to his individual needs and lifestyle. She gave him workouts he could do while traveling for business, and when gyms closed in response to the pandemic, the two continued their weekly workouts via Zoom.

“It continues to go very well and helps me keep up the balance of weights with cardio,” he says. “COVID-19 converted the treadmill and elliptical machines to local trails, and I have found my Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ program very useful in tracking my progress.”