HA and further blockages

[Stigtroll]

On holiday in America at our daughters home my husband had a heart attack, treatment was amazing, within 2 hrs he was collected stent put in his room. We were advised on discharge that he has 2 further blockages @ 70%, the heart consultant in the UK has told us "we don't tend to deal with them until you present with chest pain or breathlessness", we find this really worrying. My husband is not overweight, exercises and I think we have a healthy diet, so he really didn't tick heart attack boxes the cardiologist in the States said.

[Springray]

Welcome and sorry to hear your joint holiday was marred by his shock illness. It will take time to adjust to this.

Personally when I was given similar information by my cardiologist I did not want to ever have to go and see him again with life-threatening blockages that had progressed beyond the 60- 70% I was told about.

I, too had none of the above risk factors you mentioned. (In all there are 9 risk factors, which include family history of premature heart disease, high BP and high cholesterol).

Yours and your husband's joint goal will now be to prevent further progression of these 70% blockages and if possible even to reverse the plaque within them.

So almost all cardiologists have no training in preventive cardiology. They pay lip service to 'a healthy diet and exercise' but are not aware of the evidence for preventing and reversing coronary heart disease.

Start by watching Forks Over Knives (FOK) together as a family. It features Bill Clinton's medical advisers. He has managed to prevent further heart troubles since following the wholefood plantbased diet (WFPB). It is the only diet proven to reverse heart blockages (Dean Ornish, Lancet 1990 and JAMA 1998).

Now here's the real magic: The advantage of the diet is that it prevents furring of the arteries in ALL parts of the body including the heart and the brain and so you are giving yourself (hubbie) the best possible health advantage going forward. (A heart bypass or stents can only ever fix the few arteries they choose to fix but furring will be going on in other arteries silently).

Join the free FOK group on Facebook to get support as you move towards the optimal diet.

The End of Heart Disease by Dr Joel Fuhrman (published 2015) is a good book to both read too.

Dr Joel Fuhrman is coming to UK to speak for the first time on Sept 27th (London) -google the event. Come along with the family if you can. It could change your future.

The best thing about the diet is the fear of further heart disease will go away. You will also start to see his cholesterol numbers/ BP come down. Keep Total Cholesterol below 3.5 in established heart disease and LDL below 1.8 to prevent further progression.

The British JBS3 preventive cardiology guidelines also recommend keeping LDL below 1.8.

See this helpful 4 min video from Dr M Gregor:

nutritionfacts.org/video/op...

I would urge your husband to also attend cardiac rehab as support from others who have been through a similar situation is invaluable in the early days. A good cardiac rehab group will address all risk factors including stress management.

Here's the Lancet article:

thelancet.com/journals/lanc...

Wishing you all the best.

Stay connected on here and let us know how you and he get on.

[Stigtroll in reply to Springray]

Thankyou for all the above info, currently my husband is attending the gymn on the rehab programme, check with our surgery his cholestrol level when last checked was 3.1 so that isn't an issue, will read all if the a ice and Thankyou.

[Springray in reply to Stigtroll]

Good to know total cholesterol is optimal. Check if LDL is 1.8 or below and you can be confident the disease will not progress.

[Qualipop]

It is worrying to know you have further narrowing. After my heart attack I was told I have two further arteries that are blocked at 75% and 65%. I will be called via out patients for another pressure angiogram to check how much blood iis getting through and how easily. Meantime I have to reduce cholesterol, change diet and have stopped smoking to try to reverse the blockage. They told me that they don't bother about anything below 70% because everyone has some degree of narrowing.

[jimmyq in reply to Qualipop]

Have you watched Forks Over Knives as suggested above?

[Stigtroll in reply to jimmyq]

Yes and found it interesting👍

[Qualipop in reply to jimmyq]

Not had time yet- have a deadline to meet editing a magazine

[jimmyq in reply to Qualipop]

You should read "The 4 Hour Work Week" as well.

[not2worry]

Thank you for your post. Yes, cardio care in the USA is approached quite differently. Upon any signs of possible heart disease tests are done immediately and procedures done ASAP-typically within days. My heart breaks when I read of folks having to wait months to see a cardiologist and even longer to have a life saving procedure. Contrary to popular belief excellent medical care is available to everyone in the US at every hospital ER or hospital clinic.

Glad to know your husband was able to experience the wonderful system our Country offers and that cardia disease is worldwide. Hopes for a speedy recovery.

Yours from Across the Pond.

[Stigtroll in reply to not2worry]

Thankyou, it seems USA do more preventative cardiology than we do here, the cardiologist in America was amazing.