The heart attack that claimed the life of NBC newsman Tim Russert has agitated the nation as patients, internists and cardiologists scratch their heads to figure what went unnoticed. How could Russert come clear of the stress test and other evaluations, only days before his death?
Russert’s death has triggered a sudden interest among the public, in part because he was hugely popular and in part because it makes people wonder if they could be the next Tim Russert.
Actually, the situation which is usually overlooked is very common. Thousands of people who seem to have sound health suddenly die of coronary artery disease without the slightest warning or symptom.
Experts say that the unfortunate death of Tim Russert has generated a public curiosity and provided them with an opportunity to educate the public about heart disease prevention.
Dr. Peter Libby notes in a blog post that according to traditional beliefs, a blockage in the coronary arteries cuts down the provision of nutrients and oxygen to cardiac muscle, which leads to exertion of the muscles and eventually a heart attack. Chronic development of this blockage should provide two major signs: Chest pain, especially when the heart is stressed and inconsistency in electrogram readings.
However, it is now learnt that fatty plaques may grow outward, toward the exterior of the vessel, where they develop for a long time without causing symptoms, hindering the blood flow or showing up on electrocardiograms or nuclear scans.
Such types of blockages account for far greater number of deaths than the inward growing plaques, which show symptoms. Also, the inward-growing plaque tends to stimulate the growth of extra arterial branches (collateral vessels) to maintain the blood supply to the deprived muscle.
No such process is seen in outward-growing plaques and so a sudden vessel rupture, leading the formation of an occlusive blood clot, can prove particularly disastrous, as there is no back-up blood supply.
Heart attack prevention basically requires avoiding any kind of fatty plaque to form inside you blood vessels – for which, one must follow the frequently repeated but often ignored advice: Eat a low-calorie, high-fiber diet; exercise; get regular checkups; take medication if required; discover the early warning signs; and seek help early if you experience any symptoms.
Hypertension and smoking are also among the leading causes of heart attacks and people must try to avoid them.
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