By guest author David Thompson
One year ago, I was blessed with modern medicine and God’s grace to have a successful quadruple bypass. The story that I have been asked to share is: yes, cholesterol levels can lead to coronary artery disease, but heredity is considered one of the greatest factors.
My doctors pointed out that coronary artery disease does not just hit older people, it can happen to young, in-shape athletes. I met two such athletes in my cardiac rehab. One was 32, and the other was 36.
The 32-year old was of Indian descent. He was a tennis and cricket player. He had no symptoms other than slight shortness of breath, which he ignored.
The 36-year old was Caucasian and a competitive weight lifter and body builder. Although both were men, women can have the same issues.
Marathoners have heart attacks.
My message is: please review your family’s medical history! If you have had members of your family, such as mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-aunts or great-uncles, who have had heart attacks or bypass surgery, get a checkup. The only true test is a cardiac stress test. The only true diagnostic procedure is a cardiac catheterization. Patients are sedated during a cardiac catheterization. This test allows a proper examination of the heart’s blood vessels.
I am sharing this today, one year later, because I met someone who shared a story with me, someone I met on a business trip. I hope that this story is helpful. I thank God for allowing me to share it.
