I often hear stories of a guy who has a heart attack and come to find out that 95% of a major blood vessel to the heart was clogged.
How is this not picked up earlier during normal exams? Why isn’t it?
Can’t they do radiation shots to see where the blood flows or whatever?
In: Biology
At 45 yrs, felt like I had a few episodes of something in my chest, finally went in to ER one morning.
All checked out fine, but referred for calcium CT.
Scored at 400. Did Stress Echo.
Cardiologist advised a statin, nothing further. Got a second opinion from another well respected hospital system that reviewed my stress echo test. Cardiologist recommended a heart catheter procedure. Stent was needed in a secondary vessel, 100% blockage. Heaviest dose of lipitor was prescribed. I’m 5 -10, 175llb normal dude, don’t smoke, don’t eat terribly, but I hated exercise.
Periodic stress test this past November per protocol. I felt fine. Dr didn’t like my results.
Three stents needed in my 80% blocked LAD.
I didn’t really notice symptoms. Dr was somewhat surprised. Looking back on hiking this past summer, I was the slow poke in the group, had to stop frequently. I should have taken note.
I have no family history of heart disease. I know exercise about six days a week and have lost a little bit of weight. I’ve cut back dramatically on my carnivorous diet. Ah well.
Point of my story is, it’s hard to know. I’m glad I trusted my gut and went to the ER then got the Calcium scan. This led to two opinions and a catheter. Even after going on the heaviest dose of statin, my LAD went from 65% clogged to 80% in eight years.
I’m confident if I blew it off, I would’ve had a major MI would have been dead by now.
With my LAD opened up wide, now I feel like I’m 25 years younger and I’m not taking it for granted. I’ll be exercising and eating right as I have a second chance.
So the CT scan and the stress echo were the two critical diagnostics…and skilled Doctors for which I am grateful and I hope they are paid well! 😉
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