A CEO's Life Long Battle With Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

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Saturday, May 9, 2026

A silent killer hiding in plain sight — and you may not know you're at risk.

I talk with a CEO living with this genetic heart condition and what it means for you.

Dr. John Phillips and I talk to one of the most respected minds in tech, Phil McKinney, former CTO of Hewlett Packard and now CEO of CableLabs, to talk about something far more personal than innovation:

A genetic heart condition he didn't know he had.

It's called apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where the heart muscle thickens, particularly at the tip of the heart. That thickening can interfere with blood flow and increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythms.

And here's what you need to know:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects about 1 in 500 people...many of whom don't even know they have it.

For some, the first sign is a life-threatening event.

Phil was fortunate. His condition was caught early.

Not everyone gets that chance.

We break down what this condition actually is, why it's often missed, and how something as simple as knowing your family history could change your outcome. If there's heart disease in your family, or unexplained symptoms like shortness of breath, chest discomfort, dizziness, or fainting, those are not things to brush off.

This is about awareness. It's about asking better questions. And it's about catching something early enough to do something about it.

🔔 CALL TO ACTION (your ecosystem)

👉 If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. Start by learning more: PADhelp.org 👉 Talk to a patient navigator: 1-833-PAD-LEGS 👉 Join our community: padsupportgroup.org 👉 Subscribe for more real conversations that could help you protect your health — or someone you love

#HeartHealth #SilentKiller #GeneticRisk #HCM #HypertrophicCardiomyopathy #KnowYourRisk #HeartOfInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #PADAwareness #VascularHealth