Posted on 04/09/2007 11:55:05 PM PDT by neverdem
Keith Orr thought he would surprise his doctor when he came for a checkup.
His doctor had told him to have a weight-loss operation to reduce the amount of food his stomach could hold, worried because Mr. Orr, at 6 feet 2 inches, weighed 278 pounds. He also had a blood sugar level so high he was on the verge of diabetes and a strong family history of early death from heart attacks. And Mr. Orr, who is 44, had already had a heart attack in 1998 when he was 35.
But Mr. Orr had a secret plan. He had been quietly dieting and exercising for four months and lost 45 pounds. He envisioned himself proudly telling his doctor what he had done, sure his tests would show a huge drop in his blood sugar and cholesterol levels. He planned to confess that he had also stopped taking all of his prescription drugs for heart disease.
After all, he reasoned, with his improved diet and exercise, he no longer needed the drugs. And, anyway, he had never taken his medications regularly, so stopping altogether would not make much difference, he decided.
But the surprise was not what Mr. Orr had anticipated. On Feb. 6, one week before the appointment with his doctor, Mr. Orr was working out at a gym near his home in Boston when he felt a tightness in his chest. It was the start of a massive heart attack, with the sort of blockage in an artery that doctors call the widow-maker.
He survived, miraculously, with little or no damage to his heart. But his story illustrates the reasons that heart disease still kills more Americans than any other disease, as it has for nearly a century.
Medical research has revealed enough about the causes and prevention...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Check that URL if your interested. There are too many links.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Last week my 74-year-old mother-in-law had symptoms of a heart attack late at night and dialed 911. Within 4 minutes, there was an ambulance, a fire truck, and two police cars outside her door. She spent 15 hours in the hospital, undergoing EKG, contrast radiography, stress test, enzyme tests, etc. They didn't find a darn thing. They wanted her to stay overnight, but she said no, and got a ride home, even though they brought in a psychologist to check her sanity. She needed a good night's sleep, and she knew she wouldn't get it in the hospital.
She's been fine since and the doctors don't have an explanation.
Same thing happened to wifey a month ago. Docs still can't find anything wrong. We see a cardiologist this week.
In fact I have heard recent statistics that show cancer has moved into the number one spot. Will try to track them down.
Rule out esophageal spasm. Feels like a heart attacks, debilitating pain, docs seem never to think of it.
lift weights
Gall bladder attack is another mimic.
Carolyn
review
Factual statistic: 1 in 27 women have breast cancer;
1 in 2 women have heart disease.
Spasms of the muscle sub clavius (under the collarbone/clavicle) also imitate heart attack.
Maybe not. The greatest miracle workers in the world are diet and exercise. But they seem to be our last resort in this age.
15 years ago I had a heart attack and was out of work for 2 months. I had my heart attack the morning after my annual physical during which I received a full treadmill style EKG and was declared to have a clean bill of health. 18 hours after my physical I was on my back in the emergency room.
I don’t believe that the doctors can tell anything from their testing.
I had a severe MI (LAD) at age 47, sextuple bypass surgery at age 54, and have paroxysmal afib controlled by Sotalol. I am now 80, still in good health. I take a whole slew of medicines daily including statins and warfarin. I don't think anything about it; it's just one of those things you do to keep living.
Had a coronary arteriogram late last year. The bypasses are still working great after 25 years. Isn't life grand?
Good answer Mad Dawg. I had an esophagus constriction one night and I swore I was having a heart attack. I had a simple outpatient procedure to open it back up and then they put me on Protonix.
They will be mentioned in consultation
depends on ability to run on treadmill up to vmax.
Interesting thread. Thanks to all contributors.
My dear friend’s husband collapsed and died in the hospital on the treadmill while undergoing a stress test for his physical exam (thin, non-smoker...never any indications or symptoms of heart trouble...just getting a physical exam). About 5 years later, her(his)son, a senoir in high school, collapsed and died while sitting in the stands after his tennis match.
Young co-worker/friend (early 20’s) about 10 years ago (big guy 6’3” 250+ lbs) went to the hospital with his wife after Thanksgiving dinner complaining of chest pains. They observed him, may have ran some routine tests. He insisted on being released that evening as he was feeling “normal” again. He was walking toward the lobby door with his wife and suddenly collapsed and died.
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