Wellness

[hckynut]

@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 

[hckynut]

@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 🏒

[hckynut]

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@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 

[icezeus]

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. 

[Drythe]

@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!

[Lipstickdiva]

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.

[J Town Girl]

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.

[Duckncover]

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. 

[Sugipine]

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.

[hckynut]

@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