Syndrome X: The Silent Killer: The New Heart Disease RiskIs Your So Called Good Diet Slowly Killing You? If you have Syndrome X and 60 to 75 million Americans do the widely recommended low fat, high carbohydrate diet may be the surest route to a heart attack. Now, Gerald Reaven, M. D., the pioneering Stanford University doctor who discovered Syndrome X, explains why: Even if your total cholesterol level is perfect, it may not shield you from a heart attack. Carbohydrates can be just as harmful as red meat