MedBlog

Heart

Wanda’s story: A heart at high risk

Heart

Sisters Wanda Taylor and Liz Brantley shared everything,

including a family history of early, and often fatal, heart attacks. But one thing they didn’t share was a tolerance for statins. For Wanda, being unable to take cholesterol-lowering drugs meant she was never far away from a cardiac event, and never able to begin the healing process.

Sisters Wanda Taylor and Liz Brantley looking at photos and laughing

At Liz’s suggestion, Wanda began seeing doctors at UT Southwestern, where they started her on a new drug called Repatha. Based on a discovery made by UT Southwestern Drs. Helen Hobbs and Jonathan Cohen, Repatha is a cholesterol-lowering drug for statin intolerant patients like Wanda. She saw an immediate and dramatic improvement in her cholesterol numbers. And for her sister, Liz, that’s when the healing really began. 

She saw an immediate and dramatic improvement in her cholesterol numbers.

With her sister’s cholesterol under control, Liz felt a weight lifting for the first time in her life. The condition that had taken two brothers, and led to countless medical procedures for the rest of her family, was replaced by a more certain future. A future defined by optimism made possible by a medical breakthrough. And for Wanda, the most important part of this story is the one yet to be written with her sister, including what they were doing immediately following this interview: “Margaritas. We’re going to get margaritas.”

Dr. Rohatgi

Dr. Rohatgi’s perspective: Advanced heart care with a twist

Discover how personalized therapy reduced Wanda’s heart attack risk.

Read more