Having a heart attack? And you're alone? Now What?

Everyone's story is different. Yes, women typically present with different symptoms than men.
 
Very very rare to experience a myocardial infarction without coronary artery disease.

The Gold Standard in detecting latent CAD is an exercise stress test. If you can’t walk they can use drugs to increase your heart rate.

Go get one then you’ll know.
 
El Capitan said:
Very very rare to experience a myocardial infarction without coronary artery disease.

The Gold Standard in detecting latent CAD is an exercise stress test. If you can’t walk they can use drugs to increase your heart rate.

Go get one then you’ll know.
Click to expand...

I would argue the gold standard is a cardiac catheterization.
 
SeaNile said:
I would argue the gold standard is a cardiac catheterization.
Click to expand...

The reason Stress Testing is the Gold Standard and the first step in the diagnosis is because it’s non invasive and carries minimal risks.

Diagnostic caths are going by way of the dinosaurs. Docs want to ballon and stent if they cath or do TAVR’s. No doc wants to cath a patient just to find out if they have blockages.

Nuclear stress can hone in on the blockages, if any. Imagine going through cath to then learn you have single vessel at 40% or 50%. You’re not getting a stent but you’ve put yourself at risk and pain for nothing.

Do the stress. It’s safe, cheap, and easy. Then your Doc will decide IF you need a stent(s).
 
El Capitan said:
The reason Stress Testing is the Gold Standard and the first step in the diagnosis is because it’s non invasive and carries minimal risks.

Diagnostic caths are going by way of the dinosaurs. Docs want to ballon and stent if they cath or do TAVR’s. No doc wants to cath a patient just to find out if they have blockages.

Nuclear stress can hone in on the blockages, if any. Imagine going through cath to then learn you have single vessel at 40% or 50%. You’re not getting a stent but you’ve put yourself at risk and pain for nothing.

Do the stress. It’s safe, cheap, and easy. Then your Doc will decide IF you need a stent(s).
Click to expand...

I've never read such BS in my life.

Back to the boating threads.
 
El Capitan said:
The reason Stress Testing is the Gold Standard and the first step in the diagnosis is because it’s non invasive and carries minimal risks.
Click to expand...

For someone as verbose as you tend to be it is amazing how little factual information you actually write.

A 2 second literature search shows that EXACT statement, with one minor detail: Cardiac Catheterization is what is stated as the gold standard for the above listed reason.
 
@Gofirstclass got some grief at first when he started this thread. However we need to say thanks to him.

The thread has sparked a really good discussion (and debate at times) about a very real danger and potentially elevated some of our concern levels on the topic.

Thank you
 
I feel like a real dumb ass and thanks to this thread, I decided to look into my medical record history. I like most I imagine just listen to the doc and do what he says to do and figure all must be fine unless told otherwise. I never took the time to read the notes on my stress test or CAT scan from 2014. I read it this morning for the first time and it says that I was positive for ISCHEMIA. The only thing I was ever told to try and do was take a baby asprin each day and watch my diet. I contacted my Doc to schedule another stress test since the only cardiac monitoring that has been done in the past 8 years has been an occasional EKG. Now that I am getting older and finding that doing routine tasks is getting more and more difficult, I am going to make a concerted effort to be more pro active about my health. I really don't have a problem with dying when my number in called, I am comfortable with the way I have lived. I just really do not want to end up incapacitated because I ignored reasonable measures that may prevent it. The wife and I were talking last night about how much I love our little terrier, TREVI. She said "you are gonna miss her when she is gone won't you" I said "she is only a year old, she will outlive me, she will be yours to miss." My wife told me that she hopes she goes before me.
Seems like a silly conversation, but makes one begin to ponder all things life.
Carpe Diem
 
Carpediem44DB said:
I feel like a real dumb ass and thanks to this thread, I decided to look into my medical record history. I like most I imagine just listen to the doc and do what he says to do and figure all must be fine unless told otherwise. I never took the time to read the notes on my stress test or CAT scan from 2014. I read it this morning for the first time and it says that I was positive for ISCHEMIA. The only thing I was ever told to try and do was take a baby asprin each day and watch my diet. I contacted my Doc to schedule another stress test since the only cardiac monitoring that has been done in the past 8 years has been an occasional EKG. Now that I am getting older and finding that doing routine tasks is getting more and more difficult, I am going to make a concerted effort to be more pro active about my health. I really don't have a problem with dying when my number in called, I am comfortable with the way I have lived. I just really do not want to end up incapacitated because I ignored reasonable measures that may prevent it. The wife and I were talking last night about how much I love our little terrier, TREVI. She said "you are gonna miss her when she is gone won't you" I said "she is only a year old, she will outlive me, she will be yours to miss." My wife told me that she hopes she goes before me.
Seems like a silly conversation, but makes one begin to ponder all things life.
Carpe Diem
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Good job doing the right thing. 2014 is a long time ago but the only question I’d have is was it fixed ischemia or reversible ischemia? Doesn’t matter now but that would have been the follow up question when you received your results.
 
I'm glad that this thread has benefitted some of you through the back and forth chatter as well as some of the debate.

As one who is now 75 and has stage 4 cancer, looking at my life expectancy has taken a different turn. I'm still one who just kinda goes along with what my oncologist says and don't do a lot of in-depth study of the print outs I get from him after each visit. My wife, OTHO, pores over every word and studies the test results carefully. She and I have had many conversations about what will happen when I'm gone. Given the cancer I'm dealing with, that conversation is now much more important than it was 2 years ago.

I'm fortunate that the medical system that I use for all my health care needs is great. They have a website where test results (including MRI's, CT scans. etc.) including blood work are posted even before I get back home.

So, thanks for the nice comments. Stay healthy, keep paying attention to test results and take care of yourselves.
 
Dammit you guys...if we can't come to CSR for sound, peer reviewed medical advice, what are we doing here???!!!

@Gofirstclass this thread has been educational. It had a slightly different vibe than Honda generator threads but felt somewhat familiar at times. :) Best of luck with everything you and your wife are powering through!
 
SeaNile said:
Everyone's story is different. Yes, women typically present with different symptoms than men.
Click to expand...

VERY TRUE!

All of us here seem to do our best to learn the different workings of our boats. Westerbeke has been mine. Maybe it’s silly but I read every post here and on other sites. I may just learn something. So here is your chance to learn. GFC got me informed on PSA numbers, I went to the doc when I started having a issue. Without his advice, I’d have missed the swelling. I thank him every day. So here is a small challenge to each of you. Learn your families history, learn to recognize the early symptoms of a cardiac event, and if you are really challenged learn to read a 12 lead EKG.

First toy my wife let me have for the boat? A small Dfib!

Don’t be like me and be hardheaded.
 
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El Capitan said:
The reason Stress Testing is the Gold Standard and the first step in the diagnosis is because it’s non invasive and carries minimal risks.
Click to expand...
TimW said:
For someone as verbose as you tend to be it is amazing how little factual information you actually write.

A 2 second literature search shows that EXACT statement, with one minor detail: Cardiac Catheterization is what is stated as the gold standard for the above listed reason.
Click to expand...
This doesn't make sense, have an invasive cardiac cath procedure because it's not invasive.
 
Speaking of heart attacks...yummy
received_338747731448955.jpeg
 
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