I recently got a new primary care physician who happens to be a Cardiologist as well.
She listens to my family history, Mom passed from colon cancer, Dad from esophageal cancer, and my brother from heart failure.

She then sends me on a barrage of tests all good (thank God) except for the stress test. I lasted over 9 minutes on the treadmill, felt great during the test but at the end the EKG took a while to normalize. She comes in and says I need a stent! And could not believe I went for 9 minutes without problems.

I go in the hospital on 9/11 for a stent and once they put in the dye, the Doctor says stents are not going to do me any good, he shows me the monitor with the dye in my arteries. Much to my surprise I have blockage in 5 arteries with the main one at 90% blockage. Three days later I had bypass surgery!

I never had any symptoms, no signs of heart trouble at all. I was told by the surgeon that if the one that was 90% blocked went to a 100% I would have probably only 3 minutes to live.

Thanks to my new Doctor, she saved my life. It has been 3 weeks today since surgery and everything is healing great. I got the okay to drive again today and I can return to work in 2 weeks.

Lesson learned folks...it pays to have tests done. Had I not chose my new Doctor, I may not be here today. Let me tell you this puts a whole new perspective on life and I thank God I am here.

This is why I love being a cardiologist. Everybody we fix is very grateful, because it’s such a scary disease.

I’m very glad you had that stress test!
I’ve had guys go way more than 9 minutes but still had an abnormal stress test and 90% blockage.

As a cardiologist, it pays to have Spidey Sense.

I had what seemed a lot like a possible "heart incident" happening a couple years ago. Called my doc. He wanted me to go into the emergency room RIGHT AWAY. "But I work out five-times-a-week, including doing HIIT cardio twice a week!" I protested. My doc replied "I have a mid-30s patient that plays pick-up ice hockey twice a week. I saw something in a routing physical. Had it checked out. He had an 85% blockage of the 'widow-maker' artery."

I went.

For those who've never done it: Ice hockey is perhaps second only to soccer for cardio intensity. I used to play pick-up ice hockey, myself. My twice weekly HIIT workouts are nothing compared to ice hockey demands.

(It turned out to be nothing but a panic attack.)

Glad it turned out well for you, 45_Auto!

Hope your healing up well. Maybe you might think about dropping her a thank you note.

Glad things worked out well

Thanks for the report. We seldom hear anything about physicians other than complaints and it’s good to be reminded of how fortunate we are to live in a time and place where this level of health care is available.

Great news. It sounds like you are damn lucky you didn't have a heart attack during the stress test!

I am very glad for you that they found it and fixed it, before you had a heart attack.

90% blockage of the widow maker!
Thanks, doc, a million.

SWEET!
Glad they caught it before it got worse

My father had a heart attack about a month ago.

70 years old, zero medical history for all relative purposes, worked hard all his life, active, very active. Retired but still oversees a farm with 4 sons living there doing the real work, 19-25 years old.

He had 5 blockages, 100%, 50%, 2x 30% and one at 20%, or something like that. Never had any signs prior, blood labs had been good, works out three times a week, eats healthy, hasn't smoked for 25 years, etc., etc., etc...

Scared the hell out of me. I'm 34 and kinda fat. I'm pretty active (walking/hiking frequently) with a fantastic BP and decent labs.

So I'm on my 6th week of being a Vegan lol. Kinda...made some serious changes to try to buy some time!

Why aren't dye tests done as a routine check at a certain age or frequency?

Late July 2005 I was packing motorcycle saddle bags for a trip to Sturgis and I felt a dull pain in both upper arms.

Phoned Doctor (female) who "ordered me" to call 911 for an ambulance ride to Tucson Medical Center.

At TMC I got the stress test and the dye injection and scope.

Several days later I was being prepped for a triple coronary bypass.

Glad your doc was thorough and you have had a positive outcome. Stick with the therapy in recovery will make all the difference.

I get an ultrasound every two or three years. Checks your arteries for blood flow and possible other problems. You can get it done at a hospital or use Life Line Screening which costs about $150.

http://www.lifelinescreening.c...o/What-We-Screen-For

Thanks everyone.
Yes it was the "widow maker" that was 90% blocked.
I have an appointment next Friday with the Doc who discovered it, and believe me she is going to get a huge thank you!

I send patients for stress tests daily. If you come in to the ER complaining of chest pain, even if it was transient and have any sort of risk factors you are likely getting one. No worse feeling as a medical professional than missing something that’s potentially life threatening. Glad you are up on your feet.

Glad they fixed you up. We like having you around.

Thank God for that! It is very serious. My dad had a widow maker recently and almost died. 100% blockage. If the ambulance hadn't gotten him to the hospital within 20min, he would have died.

Had a dobutamine stress test just last week (not a fun experience, that's some miserable stuff). I would have preferred a cath to be extra sure, but couldn't really justify it. Either way, I evidently still have the heart of a teenager. So I've got that going for me.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:Why aren't dye tests done as a routine check at a certain age or frequency?

I'd imagine it's a risk/benefit calculation. SJTILL can verify.