When discussing cardiovascular health, our minds often drift right to the heart. The heart is, indeed, at the heart of the cardiovascular system. However, numerous other body parts, including the arteries, play vital roles in ensuring our heart functions as it should.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the arteries are vessels responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. When healthy, the artery walls are strong enough to manage the blood pressure your heart puts on them with each beat.
However, plaque build-up can contribute to high cholesterol. High cholesterol and even high blood pressure don’t typically have symptoms but can lead to narrowed, blocked arteries, per the Cleveland Clinic. Artery blockages also don’t usually have signs. Left untreated, these conditions can put a person at a higher risk for a heart attack.
One man did have a symptom of a severe artery blockage. He initially chalked it up to a less severe illness he was recovering from. Thankfully, he didn’t wait too long to seek help. He shares his story, including how a commercial led to a quick action that saved his health and prevented a heart attack.
Related: These Are the Exact Cholesterol Numbers You Should Aim for if You Want to Prevent Heart Disease, According to a Cardiologist
The Severe Artery Block Sign That Saved One Man’s Life
Mark Vallery, 69, of Orlando, Florida, says he didn’t experience symptoms of artery blockage until February of 2024. It was only then that he began having severe chest pain and right arm pain.
“I thought that I was having lung issues when my chest started hurting, as I had been dealing with an upper respiratory infection,” Vallery tells Parade.
Vallery says he has some known risk factors for heart attacks, including high cholesterol, being older (most people who die of heart disease are over 65), obesity and a family history of heart attacks. He’s also used a pacemaker since he was 14.
According to the American Heart Association, other risk factors include:
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Smoking
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Diabetes
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High blood pressure
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Being a male
Now, Vallery wasn’t having a heart attack, but the day after he started feeling chest pain, he began to think he was. While some people like to make fun of “kids these days” for “watching too much TV,” a little tube time actually may have saved Vallery.
Seeing the Signs of a Heart Attack
Vallery sat down in a recliner after going on a walk with his wife, which left him exhausted.
“During that walk, I had a tightness in my chest, couldn’t get a good breath and there was a burning sensation across my chest and down my right arm,” Vallery says. “While I was resting, a commercial came on that talked about symptoms of a heart attack you shouldn’t ignore.”
Vallery called the doctor immediately, being sure to mention his recent upper respiratory illness in case it had to do with his lungs. His doctor told Vallery to go straight to the emergency room.
“They didn’t even need to do a stress test,” Vallery says. “The cardiologist said based on my age, weight and ultrasound, they would go ahead and put a stent in. It turns out I had a 99% blockage in one of my arteries.”
Sometimes, a blockage this significant is classified as a heart attack. Luckily, that wasn’t the case for Vallery—but he knows it could have been.
Related: 8 Real People Explain Exactly What Having a Heart Attack Feels Like
Severe Artery Blockage: One Man’s Treatment, Recovery and Moving Forward
Six weeks after his trip to the emergency room, Vallery followed up with his care team. He’ll do the same later in 2024 to reevaluate treatment for the remainder of the year. He’s not out of the woods, but doctors are watching him, and Vallery is taking steps to improve his heart health.
“I have a 65% blockage in my middle artery, so my cardiologist put me on a strict diet, cholesterol medication, blood pressure medication and blood thinner,” Vallery says. “When I was in the hospital, my cholesterol was 264. Now, almost six months, medication and a very restrictive diet later, my cholesterol is 94. So, I’m off the cholesterol medication because it’s actually too low now.”
The American Heart Association’s recommendations for cholesterol are:
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Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL
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LDL cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL or below 70 mg/dL if a person has coronary artery disease
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HDL cholesterol: 60 mg/dL or higher
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Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL
Overall, Vallery feels like he’s trending in the right direction. “I felt 100% better the day after the stent was installed,” Vallery tells Parade. “I can now exercise all I want with no chest pain. Eating a healthy diet has helped me lose 20 pounds, and I feel so much better all around.”
Now, Vallery is speaking out, hoping others don’t need the same harrowing wake-up call. “Get your blood tested regularly, keep your cholesterol level low and eat a heart-healthy diet now before you have a problem and it is too late,” Vallery says. “I am lucky to be alive.”
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