*This post is part of a paid collaboration between myself and Amgen. The content reflects my own personal opinions.
In honor of World Heart Day, September 29th, we wanted to share Rob’s story and steps he is taking to ensure he won’t “miss a beat” when it comes to his heart health. If you have been following along with us for a while, you will remember that my husband, Rob, had a heart attack four years ago. Every time I share his story, I receive messages from people who were moved to get medical attention they were putting off. Since heart disease continues to be the leading health crisis globally, we will continue sharing Rob’s story.
Our Experience
A few years prior to Rob’s heart attack he had tested with higher than average cholesterol numbers. Since he was in his late thirties and relatively fit, he never followed up. Life got busy as it usually does, and Rob put off his routine physicals and blood work. Six months turned into 3 years. During those years he ignored other signs such as tightness in his chest,
arm pain and he dismissed his shortness of breath as asthma. Looking back there were so many signs that we ignored because of his age and “healthy” appearance. One May afternoon our world was jolted when he had a heart attack at the age of 42.
Since his heart attack, we have worked together as a family to help Rob live a heart-healthy life. We take this very seriously since the first event is sometimes just the beginning. Nearly one in five patients who’ve had a heart attack will have another cardiovascular event within one year.¹
Here are three ways we are managing my husband’s heart disease.
Screen
Routine screening is important especially for patients with heart disease or at risk for a heart attack.² Having your routine bloodwork done, including getting your cholesterol tested, is vital to maintaining heart health. Rob learned the hard way about the importance of doing these screenings in a timely fashion. He now fulfills his routine bloodwork and his cardiologist follows up with him to understand the results.
Seek
When experiencing symptoms that are unfamiliar it is important to seek the help of a professional before it is too late.³ Since Rob had a heart attack, we now know how important it is to follow up with his physician on symptoms that are not familiar. Even during COVID-19 spikes in our community; we are able to call our health provider to help make an informed decision on whether or not his symptoms warrant an office visit. Check with your provider to do the same if needed.
Stay Healthy
What I remember the most about the year after Rob’s heart attack was the fear I felt with every turn in his recovery. I started controlling what I could and that was taking his cardiologist’s advice for lifestyle modifications and incorporating them into our lives. We changed our diets based on his physician’s recommendations and started getting more active. Staying active continues to be a major recommendation from his cardiologist; Rob works at a desk and was not active in the past. Now he fits in an activity to get cardio in daily.
Find ways to stay healthy by sticking to lifestyle modifications and speak to your doctor about what else you can do to lower your risk of a heart attack. If you’ve had a heart attack and are looking for helpful resources on your recovery and the importance of cholesterol management, visit www.heartattackFAQ.com.
References
1 Spertus J, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol.2018;71:A24.
2 American Heart Association. Proactive steps can reduce chances of second heart attack. https:// www.heart.org/en/news/ 2019/04/04/proactive-steps-can-reduce-chances-
of-second-heart-attack. Accessed 9/24/20
3 American Heart Association. Warning Signs of a Heart Attack. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack. Accessed 9/24/20.
Great reminder about the importance of prioritizing healthcare and such wonderful resources!