CHD Diagnosis in China

[COYW]

Hi this is my first post. I'm a 62 year old cyclist. 6' 1", 75K. Been fit and healthy all my life then I have heart palpitations in China (living with my wife who works here). They investigate further (halter, Echo, Stress Test, Dye X-Ray thing in wrist) and 10 days ago diagnose CHD with arteries blocked at 50%, 70% an 75%. I thought the Cardiologist was reading someone else's results!

I'm due for catheterisation and possible stent on Tuesday through our private health insurance. I hope they find that it isn't as bad since I have had no pain and up to 10 days ago merrily cycling and working out in the gym as always. How likely is it that the catheterisation shows different results? I know. I'm grasping at straws - stent like straws perhaps......

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Unfortunately previous good health is not necessarily an indicator of future good health. Over a decade ago a friend (similar build to yourself) who was then 50 and a keen cyclist was sent for a company medical prior to an assignment abroad. He was given an exercise ECG which was stopped after a few minutes as they were unhappy. Five days later he had a triple bypass. The good news is that he resumed cycling after recovery and rehab but just doesn't push things.

It sounds as if you had an angiogram ("with dye" as you mentioned). These are fairly accurate but will never be exact as arteries are not exactly circular and plaque is not deposited equally around the circumference reducing the radius. The final stenting decision will be made in the day and will depend on the specific arteries and degree of blockage. If researching stick to the NHS and BHF websites as Doc Google often contains out-of-date information and total rubbish! Good luck!

[COYW in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks! Blinking eck I guess I’m lucky to get to 62 with good health. Glad you friend is back cycling 😀

[Hidden]

I always find it useful to read how people are treated abroad, so thanks.

So..if you don't mind me asking this, you never had any sort of "prior warning" suc as post-exercise malaise/breathlessness? Just "all was good", no warning whatsoever prior to this "cardiac event"?

[COYW in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Good to hear from you. I’ve had no illness. Nothing. Fit as a fiddle and been cycling in the alps recently. 28k climbs. Then I hear my arteries are knackered. Private health insurance here has been brilliant.

[Hidden in reply to COYW]

Wow..quite shocking!

Thank you for your swift response.

[Prada47]

Hello

No specific knowledge of Chinese Medical care, but I know quite a few people who have. I worked in Li Bin about 70 miles south of Guillin in Guanxi Provence . Being a Power Plant quite a few of the guys had been in very Heavy Industry all through their lives so quite a few had health related issues, I never heard much comment about poor treatment and even the local hospital seemed to be very well equipped.. Hope it all goes well look forward to your follow up post

[COYW in reply to Prada47]

Thanks. Yes it seems pretty good to me. My wife had holes in her septal wall fixed here in Shanghai and that went very well.