Just started reading this thread today. Not really interested in the body of the thread, just the end of it. "If" Richard is with us, he has some hurdles to overcome, and they are significant. With his family history and the limited info he gave, it is discernible that the damage of the episode back in June was not just an eye opener. Depending on which "vain"(read artery) is clogged, he may be in for trouble. Just because it is one artery instead of three or four is not the issue. First it is which artery is involved.
If it is the left anterior descending artery, this is the one that supplies the left side of the heart. Damage to this one is important cause it is the one that pumps it to all the body, not just one organ system(right to the lungs). You can bet two other things.
1.When you have a "heart attack", what you have had is a rupture of a plaque inside the artery. The rupture is the damaging act. The clot is the one they refer to when they put you on the "clot buster medicines". If he was not treated soon enough, the damage is permanent. the muscle beyond that point has died and is non functional. Imagine the muscle in your arm has suffered this fate. you can readily see how hard it would be for the remaining muscle to do the normal things you would do with your arm. That's why they say no stress. Stress= increased blood pressure and more work for the muscle that is left.
2. Any one that has suffered a rupture, has HAD another and possibly a third rupture. They have never found just one rupture at the time of a heart attack. They may be minor(read smaller), but its there.
With his other factor, his cholesterols, he is a ticking time bomb. This has gone on for a long time due to his family history. The diet is the key to keep it from getting WORSE. We used to see the plaques forming in the major arteries(cardiac) of G Is who were killed in Korea. That was 18-21 year olds. Today we are seeing the same plaques in 8-10 year olds. The sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits have helped contribute to it. We may be ABLE to live longer with todays technology, but more will be dying off at earlier ages due to lifestyles. Message here, 1. get a checkup 2. Get your cholesterol in check 3. Intervene on your kids now, and they may live longer.
This generation of individuals will probably live to be the oldest, due to our lifestyles and eating habits as kids. We all ate at home for the most part and we played outside, used our imagination in our play, and we either walked, rode a bike, or animal to get somewhere. Automobiles were for trips, shopping, family events, not to go to the movie show or visit with friends.
Some of the latest research shows that the greatest outlay of real and unrealized spending is greatest for 1. Mental health 2. Diabetes(now seeing type II in kids) then cancer and vascular.
Take care guys, get your checkups(cardiac, GI, GU) you could be next!!
Bill
