Blocked LAD

[RATP]

My LAD is 75-90% blocked. Angioplasty was abandoned and instead I had a stress test MRI. The doctor said blood flow was being restricted. I’m not showing any signs or symptoms and so he’s decided not to intervene. I’m terrified that something terrible will suddenly happen and every twinge I get I panic that it’s about to happen. I’m on lots of medication and obviously hope that these will keep the blood flowing but can’t get a grip on how long I can go with this level of blockage before intervention. Anyone?……

[RATP]

Thanks. Very reassuring. I walk 10km every morning. Don’t eat processed food. Rarely eat meat. Don’t smoke. Enjoy red wine. Never get out of breath so hoping I’ve got a handle on it.

[RATP]

Just a secondary thought. I don’t have an follow up appointments booked. Should I just contact the cardiac department and ask for one in day, 6 months or just leave it until and if I get symptoms?…

[RATP]

I had angioplasty and one stent put in a rear artery in April 21, at the time a second was scheduled for November to stent the LAD. Half way through that procedure in November the surgeon decided to not stent and referred me for a stress test MRI.

[Chappychap]

Outoftheblues has given you a good answer. I'd only add one thing.

You're mixing up blocked arteries with heart attacks. It's a common misconception, in reality the two things have only a slim connection.

Over half of heart attacks occur in people who have less than 50% arterial blockage, and conversely there are plenty of people on this forum who have experienced well over 90% arterial blockage and yet have never had a heart attack.

How can this be true?

If you think about atherosclerosis like acne in the arteries, and different people will get different "spots". Some tend towards puss filled spots that are liable to rupture (ie can be easily squeezed), other people tend towards spots that can be quite big but are "solid" and can't be squeezed. This second type of arterial spot can block the artery and cause angina, but it's less likely to burst and therefore cause a heart attack or stroke.

The actions you must take to improve your odds are to take your statin (especially in conjunction with Ramipril) which will tend to stabilise or calcify your arterial "spots", making them less likely to burst. Also the normal life style changes, quit smoking, lose weight to a healthy BMI, eat a healthy diet, complete the NHS recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week, etc.

These, much more than surgical interventions, are the things that will materially improve your chances of a long, active, healthy life. Surgical interventions (like stents or bypass surgery) are important to grant us a second chance, but unfortunately they do almost nothing to cure our heart disease or to reduce our risks of future heart attacks. What makes the real difference for our future prospects are medication and life style changes.

Good luck!

[RATP]

It was abandoned.

[RATP]

Thank you all SO MUCH. Your kind, supportive, informative comments have reassured me enormously and helped me regain a sense of perspective. You are all very kind.