topic Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests? in Wellness

Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

depglass — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:10:44 GMT

We have been discussing a friend who is recovering from a major heart attack. Supposedly his arteries were 99% blocked. I'm quoting here, I can't believe they mean every heart artery. Regardless, would this condition have shown up on routine blood tests? This person has top health insurance and we were wondering wny this wasn't caught before the heart attack.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

newname0 — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:16:46 GMT

My husband's late cousin had 5 blocked arteries and had to have 5 stents put in. He had experienced heart and shoulder pain and got himself to the hospital in time for the doctors to operate on him.

I doubt that a blood test would have shown this and in his case he never could afford extra tests from a doctor.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

drizzellla — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:35:46 GMT

My husband had 100% blockage. He went to the Doctor faithfully every 6 months. Blood tests did not show any problems. The blood tests are looking for cholesterol, blood sugar, thyroid levels etc.

An EKG would show blockages.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

millieshops — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:23:19 GMT

@depglass I don't think blood tests shows the blockages. It isn't uncommon that someone goes into surgery to have a blockage stented and only then does it show up that more stents are needed than other tests had shown. I even known personally someone who went in for one stent and came how with 4. That was almost 20 years ago and he's still doing quite well at 90+.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Trinity11 — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:09:01 GMT

No, blood tests show nothing. Maybe, cholesterol or a high A1C put a patient at higher risk but they are not necessarily indicative of an upcoming heart attack. If they were, even with these tests, there were no predictions of my two heart attacks which culminated in 5 stents and a balloon in my left descending coronary artery.🙁

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Love my grandkids — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:18:42 GMT

Blood tests do not show blockage.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

sann — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 15:37:42 GMT

The blockage I had was detected with a Heart Catheterization procedure..............According to the Cardiologist that did the procedure its the only sure way..........

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

sgraham30 — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:15:09 GMT

@depglass,no a blood test does not show blockages, a cardiac CT scan would. (coronary calcium scan) https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/heart-scan/about/pac-20384686. An angiogram would also show, that's the procedure done to see if there are blockages & if there are, how bad they are. The angioplasty,if there are blockages, is when stent (s) are placed.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

SeaMaiden — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:50:26 GMT

@depglass This is what most people should have down if concerned about blockage. It can catch blockages that you would never suspect BEFORE having a heart attack suddenly and THEN finding out you have a blockage. It is not tha expensive out of pocket to pay for if insurance will not pay

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/coronary-calcium-scan

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Trinity11 — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:14:32 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
@depglass This is what most people should have down if concerned about blockage. It can catch blockages that you would never suspect BEFORE having a heart attack suddenly and THEN finding out you have a blockage. It is not tha expensive out of pocket to pay for if insurance will not pay

https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/coronary-calcium-scan

I had one and 3 months later had a heart attack. My insurance refused to pay for it. Maybe I understand why now @SeaMaiden .

BTW, if you have a blockage of 60% they will monitor you but not stent it.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

hckynut — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:19:56 GMT

@depglass

To answer your question. No. In neither of my 2 heart attacks did a percentage of blockage even show up on an EKG. The 12 lead EKG with my 2nd heart attack showed I was having a heart attack, but not the blockage.

That was shown during a Heart Catheterization, which showed no Right Coronary Artery, until it was unblocked with a Heart Cath Stent Procedure. I talked with my Cardiologist and watched the whole procedure, from no visual Right Coronary Artery, to watching it appear.

Both of them my Right Coronary was 100% blocked. The 1st one I was not conscious through much of it because my Lungs were filled with fluid, Aspiration Pneumonia.

The 2nd one I was as awake a d lucid as much as I am right now.

There are 4 Major Coronary Arteries. While my Right Coronary Artery was 100% blocked, the others were not. There was/is little blockage of any of the others.

There are newer ways that might show this now. At the time of mine: 2003/2007, the Heart Catheterization was the only way I was aware of at that time.

Why it wasn't caught? I knew exactly when I had both heart attacks. For me it was because from all my Athletic Events, especially long distance running, I was/am completely in tune with my body.

One can get by with a mostly closed Artery, depending on which one it might be. Knowing ones body is probably the single best way to know you need Immediate Help. Nobody should leave All of that up to anyone in the Medical Field.

Some people choose to deny they have a problem. My late 42 year old neighbor found that out by his death. He was in the hospital, and left and came home. He died of a heart attack sitting on his throne.

Know your body/listen to your body/Act when you even suspect something is not right.

hckynut

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

hckynut — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:41:08 GMT

@newname0

Some Heart Patients have 5 Stents in the Same Artery. When you hear "Triple or Quadruple Bypass" when it comes to the Heart, it does not mean the number of Arteries involved. It can pertain to the number of blockages, not arteries.

When you say "cannot afford the tests" does that mean he is uninsured. Many times not having a test is the difference between living or dying. I had 3 of my friends die of heart attacks because "they didn't have time" to for the tests. I knew/know their families and the grief they suffer from those person's choices.

There is a code by doctors, more directly Cardiologists. It's called the Golden Hour. If your are suffering from a Major Heart Attack, if you get help within that 60 minutes, your chances of living are in 90% bracket. After 60 minutes it can be reduced to the 20% bracket.

Everyone should understand this. Know you body/if in doubt? Choose ACTION over Inaction, you might be saving your own life.

hckynut 🏒

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

hckynut — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:56:23 GMT

@drizzellla wrote:
My husband had 100% blockage. He went to the Doctor faithfully every 6 months. Blood tests did not show any problems. The blood tests are looking for cholesterol, blood sugar, thyroid levels etc.

An EKG would show blockages.

@drizzellla

An EKG can detect a problem, but it will not "show a blockage". A Heart Catheterization is the only way I know of that one can actually see a blockage.

An Ultrasound can show externally a blockage, just as it can show heart valve function. Unless they have a newer version of Ultrasounds, a Heart Catheterization is the only way to see "internally" a blockage. I actually saw mine on the Monitor during my 2nd heart attack. 100% blocked? Blank in that area of the screen. Stent Angioplasty? Watched as my Right Coronary Artery appeared on the monitors screen., wide awake and talking the whole time with my Cardiologist.

hckynut

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

icezeus — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:02:00 GMT

No, blood test will not show blocked arteries. My aunt just had quadruple bypass surgery. She found out her arteries were blocked one was at 99% when she had an angiogram procedure.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Drythe — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 20:27:33 GMT

@hckynut

You are far more brave than I am!

I had a heart cath when my left knee infection went everywhere.

High pain, on IV meds for pain & infection, alone, and suddenly I was in the Cath Lab. I am sure my great Docs explained it all to me, but I was so frightened and in pain I was beyond taking anything in.

I lay there scared out of my mind, with tears running down into my ears! The poor Doc kept asking, ‘are you in pain, am I hurting you’? My Dad has heart trouble, and I just knew they had found some awful damage from the infection.

Later, much later, I understood that they were ‘just looking’. But, if I ever have to go again, I STILL won’t be watching.

Hats 🎩 off to you!

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Lipstickdiva — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 20:46:47 GMT

My DH had 99% blockage in the main artery known as the widow maker.

Because of another condition, he has blood work done every 6 months. NO this didn't show up.

He was sent for a heart cath when he started to have a "funny feeling" in his chest. The blockage was detected and a stent was put in.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

J Town Girl — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 21:21:48 GMT

I'd like to share my experience with a faulty EKG results. I was being prepped to have surgery on my fractured wrist. An EKG was performed and either due to an inexperienced laboratory technician or else a faulty machine the results that came back were very alarming.

I was sent to a cardiologist who reviewed the EKG and was concerned enough to schedule an coronary angiogram The cardiologist told me that after the angiogram a stent would be put in immediately following that procedure.

As you can imagine, I was extremely nervous. I was given a very light sedation but was very aware of what was going on. They performed the angiogram and then started to shut everything down. In my very vivid imagination, I thought that they had just decided that it was too bad and nothing could be done and time to get my affairs in order.

The technician said to me, just take it easy and your cardiologist will be in to talk to you in just a moment. My doctor comes in and says your angiogram looks just fine. There's no blockage and the amount of plaque is almost minute and well within the range of what I would expect for someone your age.

That was over 17 years ago and I see my cardiologist annually. I have never had an abnormal EKG in all of those years. I am on a low dose of Lisinopril for high blood pressure and Ezetimibe which helps to keep my cholesterol well within the normal range.

While I have no idea of what caused such a discrepancy in that EKG, I am grateful that I had a cardiologist who wasn't just gun ho to put a stent in me when none was needed.

I do have a history of heart problems in my paternal side of the family so I am always aware of the need to be proactive in my health issues. I see my doctors yearly and always have a complete blood panel and EKG run annually.

I am grateful to be in relatively good health and once I retired from my job and lower the stress level my health improved even more.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

Duckncover — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 21:28:01 GMT

SIL just had narrowly escaped a heart attack four days ago. She felt pain everywhere and DB took her to ER. They did a catheterization and found one artery 100% blocked and another one 60% blocked. They immediately inserted two stents and she is doing well. The cardiologist said imaging via a cath is how you can verify the extent of a blockage. After a heart attack has occurred, the body releases a chemical into the bloodstream that can be looked for via bloodwork. Before it happens, it doesn't show up in the bloodstream according to her dr.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

SilleeMee — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 22:43:24 GMT

I'm a retired lab specialist. There are no blood tests which will show blockage. But there are certain blood tests which can reveal risk factors that can lead to blockage and other vascular diseases. Prevention is the best medicine. Screening is important to look for risk factors especially if you have a family history of vascular disease.

Re: Would a 99% blockage show up on blood tests?

hckynut — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 22:51:29 GMT

@Drythe

Given the choice I prefer watching everything. When my friend the back surgeon removed my L-3 disc, I watched the whole thing on the monitor.

Had 2 Colonoscopies with no anesthesia and while it was not comfortable, to say the least, I still kinda liked watching it.

In my 2nd heart attack I even asked my Cardiologist to move the monitor so I could see it better. He said, "John, I think it is more important that I see it better", and he laughed.

A couple others I watched, the most recent being a couple years ago when I had part of my big toe and toenail removed. He wanted me to lay down, but I told him I would rather sit up so I can watch. He said, "are you sure"? I said yep! He was a friend in the same practice as my Ortho Doctor that does only Hip and Knee Repairs and Replacements. He told me this Foot guy was the one to see.

My wife thinks I am nuts, but she's known that all along.

hckynut