Healthy, active, no family history
Maya is 34, a product designer in Brooklyn, and runs three days a week. Her last physical came back with the line most people get: "Cholesterol looks fine, see you next year."
Maya, 34
- LDL-C118 mg/dL
- hsCRP0.6 mg/L
- HbA1c5.2%
Not on a typical panel
- ApoB98 mg/dL
- Lp(a)12 nmol/L
- FH variantsNone
- Coronary disease PRS93rd pct
Her genome puts her in the top 7% for heart disease risk
Maya's polygenic risk score for coronary disease, a number built from thousands of inherited variants, came back high.
She carries about three times the coronary disease risk of everyone else, the same as if she had familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition that doctors treat early and aggressively.1
Lower risk
Average
Higher risk
Every year of high LDL adds up
Standard Target< 130
118mg/dL
Lab report flags nothing.
“Cholesterol looks fine”
High genetic risk responds most to lowering LDL
Beyond the guideline. Backed by the evidence
| Category | Who qualifies under the guideline | LDL Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | A low 10-year risk score | under 130a |
| Borderline / Intermediate risk | An elevated 10-year risk score | under 100b |
| High risk | Familial hypercholesterolemia, a single-gene condition | under 70b |
a The top of a typical lab reference range.b 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline.6
Clear next steps
Maya's SONATA doctor walks her through the plan, explains her genetic risk and what her biomarkers mean, and prescribes what she needs.
Priority 1
A daily statin
- adjustRosuvastatin 10mg1 capsule daily
Her doctor prescribes Rosuvastatin 10 mg, taken daily. Expected to lower her LDL by about 45%, from 118 to the mid 60s.
Priority 2
A shift in diet
- continueModified Mediterranean DietNutrition
A Mediterranean diet is recommended. It's associated with about half the cardiovascular risk over 30 years.7
continueOngoing
A care plan that evolves with her
- At six months, she retests. LDL and ApoB to see whether the statin is working, liver and muscle enzymes to check it isn't causing side effects.
- If her LDL is still above 70, her doctor adds ezetimibe.
- If she wants a closer look, her doctor can order a coronary calcium scan earlier than guidelines call for.
Found at 34. Half the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 64
With SONATA, Maya avoids about 1,500 mg/dL-years of exposure by age 64. Based on population data, that difference corresponds to roughly half the risk of a heart attack or stroke.5
~50%
lower cardiovascular risk by age 64
Derived from Domanski et al., JACC 20205
