Laguna Beach's GUARDaHeart Foundation Event Debuts Saturday

LAGUNA BEACH, CA —Laguna Beach's GUARDaHEART Foundation's "Unmasked Heart Disease" Featuring DIABETESpredict event is being held Saturday in Newport Beach. This is a special night dedicated to raising awareness of the diabetic health crisis, with the goal to save lives, event organizers say.

GUARDaHEART's work to promote heart disease awareness, detection, and prevention is crucial now more than ever. Medical professionals say COVID-19 may have long-term impacts on organs, including the heart, lungs, and brain, and may lead to the development of diabetes in recovered patients in the future.

The community event takes place on Saturday from 5-10 p.m. at a private location in Newport Beach.

The evening features music, fabulous libations, tapas, healthy food, and desserts. Attendees of the event will be provided with delicious sugar-free dessert options will be provided courtesy of BochaSweet. Expect zero-calorie cane sugar replacement with the same heavenly "melt-in-your-mouth" sweetness of real sugar but no bitter aftertaste or glucose spikes.

GUARDaHEART is hosting the event in partnership with the Predictive Health Diagnostics Company (PHDC), a leading diagnostics company that specializes in medical tests that detect high-risk diseases.

PHDC's first diagnostic test is The PULS Cardiac Test™ and the company recently launched its second diagnostic test DIABETESpredict, an all-ages lab test that evaluates an individual's genetic predisposition to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D). Based on test data, DIABETESpredict offers personalized recommendations based on a patient's genetic profile.

This test provides a high-sensitivity and high-specificity evaluation of the genetic predisposition to develop diabetes.

This test is especially important for anyone who is concerned about developing diabetes, including those with a family history of diabetes or risk factors such as obesity or metabolic abnormalities. All tests are performed by CLIA-certified laboratories.

Douglas S. Harrington, MD, Chairman of the GUARDaHEART Foundation and Fellow of the American Society of Preventive Cardiology and the American Society of Clinical Pathology, helped bring DIABETESpredict into clinical use. He says that the tests are important for both individuals and the community at large.

"Our mission is to greatly reduce heart disease and other illnesses through methods including detection and prevention," Harrington says. "DIABETESpredict can identify type 2 diabetes risk before symptoms or abnormal lab results present and provides genotype-informed recommendations that can guide healthy decisions for prevention and intervention."

GUARDaHEART founder Estrella Harrington adds, "Preventative testing is a key component of our continued fight against heart disease and diabetes and remains vital in the wake of COVID-19, especially for those who may be dealing with the virus's long-term effects."

GUARDaHEART previously partnered with PHDC on the PULS Cardiac Test, a one-of-a-kind diagnostic blood test that identifies asymptomatic patients' risk of a heart attack in the next five years, allowing them to make preventative cardiology and lifestyle changes. Cardiac disease is the number one cause of death worldwide and affects over 120 million Americans.