At the TIME100 Health Impact Dinner in New York City on Thursday, TIME executive editor Nikhil Kumar launched a panel discussion with a central question: Why is heart disease still for men and women?

“Perhaps before we address why it remains the leading cause of death today,” responded Dr. Sadiya Khan, a professor of cardiovascular epidemiology and associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “we must first understand our starting point.”

She began by sharing a story: In 1945, when then-President Franklin Roosevelt passed away, his death appeared “sudden and unexpected,” Khan noted. However, reviewing his physicians’ records, Khan said, it is clear he had severe, untreated high blood pressure for years.

“None of us would overlook that today,” Khan stated. “We now know we can treat blood pressure. Managing blood pressure can extend life by years, even decades. Yet we still fail to do so. And we still do not achieve that success.”

in the U.S. have high blood pressure, though many do not receive adequate treatment, Khan said. “So I believe the answer is: we have advanced significantly, but we still have substantial progress to make.”

Khan, who was featured on the 2026 list for her work in early cardiovascular risk assessment, was joined on stage Thursday by Arianna Huffington, founder and chief executive officer of health and wellness company Thrive Global, and Victor Bultó, president of Novartis U.S.—the sponsor of the New York City event.

Kumar directed the discussion to Bultó, asking why Novartis has not only developed therapies to combat heart disease but also shifted focus to addressing human behavior. Bultó, also on the 2026 list, stated that the technology capable of reducing cardiovascular risk events and extending many lives already exists—yet is not being utilized.

“We had to transition from being solely a medical sciences company to beginning to engage with social sciences, aiming to understand the underlying behaviors that drive this issue,” he said.

Bultó noted that his team has found humans tend to be “wired to seek the immediate dopamine reward of pleasurable activities today, while downplaying the future harm they may cause.” Now, experts are advocating for deeper understanding of how people can alter these behaviors.

Khan also discussed her efforts to target young women in preventing future cardiovascular issues. She explained that for many young women, healthcare often centers on pregnancy. Many women experience complications during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. She herself had gestational diabetes but had not realized it has a .

“We are learning that these early markers can act as signals and red flags for future health. What matters is not that this is alarming or indicative of an inevitable heart attack, but that we can take action now,” Khan said. “I can focus on health behaviors that will prevent progression and make a real difference. With this information, we can empower people—young women and men—to take control of their health much earlier than previously considered.”

“Even today, if you search for ‘heart attack’ or ‘heart disease’ online, you see images of older individuals, which does not reflect reality,” she continued. “We need to start addressing this much earlier.”

Huffington described it as “inspiring” that both Khan, a prominent physician, and Bultó, head of a major pharmaceutical company, were willing to discuss the combined impact of medicines and behaviors on human health.

She cited five critical health behaviors to consider: sleep, stress management, nutrition, physical activity, and social connection.

“This marks a new approach for the pharmaceutical industry, which once focused on selling drugs and maintaining transactional relationships, but now aims to be a partner in one’s health journey—encompassing both medication and behavior,” Huffington said.

TIME100 Impact Dinner: Leaders Shaping the Future of Health was presented by Novartis and Aster DM Healthcare.