I will never have a heart attack..

[spasm3]

I remember hearing some interesting stuff about Pistol Pete - the autopsy revealed that he'd been born with only one carotid artery. I believe normal is two. Anyway, that one artery had to do the work of two, supplying the entire heart with oxygenated blood. It's amazing he lived to 40.


As they say, choose your parents wisely.

I don't know about specifics in his case. But there are situations where an anomalous single coronary, ( usually there are 3 arteries with 2 ostium origins) has it's ostium originating in the aorta in the right sinus of valsalva. This in some cases means the artery's path runs between the pulmonary artery, and the aorta ( both are the major outflow tracks).

What this means is that during or post exercise, the artery can become occluded, squeezed If you will, between the PA and Ao which are enlarged/plumped up temporarily from exercise.

The temporary occlusion of the only myocardial muscle blood supply( the single artery instead of 3) causes a dysrythmia like ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, I.E. you drop dead, sudden cardiac arrest.

It's rare, but occurs.

 

[Number_35]

I don't know about specifics in his case. But there are situations where an anomalous single coronary, ( usually there are 3 arteries with 2 ostium origins) has it's ostium originating in the aorta in the right sinus of valsalva. This in some cases means the artery's path runs between the pulmonary artery, and the aorta ( both are the major outflow tracks).

What this means is that during or post exercise, the artery can become occluded, squeezed If you will, between the PA and Ao which are enlarged/plumped up temporarily from exercise.

The temporary occlusion of the only myocardial muscle blood supply( the single artery instead of 3) causes a dysrythmia like ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, I.E. you drop dead, sudden cardiac arrest.

It's rare, but occurs.

That explanation fits the known facts well; apparently Pete had just finished an intense game of pickup basketball, had exhibited no other symptoms, and collapsed suddenly and unexpectedly while still on the court.

Further, and this is from my memory banks from decades ago, it was thought that having only the one coronary artery had given Pete some sort of advantage in explosive force on the court.

 

[Brons2]

Tough to predict and prevent these things. A real heart attack prevention diet is very difficult to follow for most people, most would rather die than live like that...no meat, no dairy...just veggies, grains. That’s tough.

And sometimes in your very best shape something life threatening can happen. Happened to me...best shape of my life training for a Tough Mudder. Blood clot in my calf, no idea at that time what it was. Pain was excruciating, so of course I ignored it and kept on running/training on it for a week. Then pain magically disappeared. That’s because it broke off and went through my heart into my lungs...and you know what? I kept training, running, lifting. Could barely breath while running. Pulmonary embolism, both lungs. Lucky I didn’t die. You just never know.

Man plans and god laughs.

Same thing happened to me in 2008. I was in the best shape of my life, riding my road bike 300+ miles a week training for a summer distance event. Was felled by multiple pulmonary embolisms. I'm glad I took my boss' advice to get it checked out when it hurt to breathe.

Turns out I have a hereditary hypercoaguability disorder called factor V Leiden. I am lucky it didn't strike sooner, I played football in college.

I was able to eventually return to cycling form and complete a 1000 kilometer distance event in 2014. But I have to be more careful than before because I'm on lifetime blood thinner therapy now. I don't ride "in the peleton" anymore or push it out the ragged edge of my ability level, because it's more dangerous to crash now.

 

[Donald]

Why did you decide to have dinner with an old GF? Are you single,. no committed relationship? If so then maybe OK.

I am married and would never have dinner with annold GF. Friends yes. But not old GF.

 

[bullwinkle]

Why did you decide to have dinner with an old GF? Are you single,. no committed relationship? If so then maybe OK.

I am married and would never have dinner with annold GF. Friends yes. But not old GF.

Divorced/single? Maybe an old GF. Old fiancée who LEFT ME AT THE ALTAR?? No chance in hell!

 

[Zee09]

Why did you decide to have dinner with an old GF? Are you single,. no committed relationship? If so then maybe OK.

I am married and would never have dinner with annold GF. Friends yes. But not old GF.

Very simple
Neither of us are married and I was on vacation in the area. Known each other for a few decades and I visited her mother which was fresh out of surgery.

We all get together a few times a year plus @AutoMechanic needed more pictures

 

[doublebase]

Same thing happened to me in 2008. I was in the best shape of my life, riding my road bike 300+ miles a week training for a summer distance event. Was felled by multiple pulmonary embolisms. I'm glad I took my boss' advice to get it checked out when it hurt to breathe.

Turns out I have a hereditary hypercoaguability disorder called factor V Leiden. I am lucky it didn't strike sooner, I played football in college.

I was able to eventually return to cycling form and complete a 1000 kilometer distance event in 2014. But I have to be more careful than before because I'm on lifetime blood thinner therapy now. I don't ride "in the peleton" anymore or push it out the ragged edge of my ability level, because it's more dangerous to crash now.

I’m on a blood thinner for life now too. I still mountain bike but I try to be careful...I also wear shin and leg guard, a helmet, usually elbow pads. And I’m not exactly doing downhill mountain biking, but it’s still risky.

They never discovered why I clotted. But they said 50% of the time they never do. I clotted once more after my initial event, and that lead to blood thinners for life for me. Up until that point I had gone several years, many with meds, and didn’t clot. But the leg I initially had the DVT was hit hard again, and boom. A day later it was another clot. Scary stuff. I feel as if it kind of isn’t fair, but then again there are people out there dealing with much worse every single day.

 

[Number_35]

Same thing happened to me in 2008. I was in the best shape of my life, riding my road bike 300+ miles a week training for a summer distance event. Was felled by multiple pulmonary embolisms. I'm glad I took my boss' advice to get it checked out when it hurt to breathe.

Turns out I have a hereditary hypercoaguability disorder called factor V Leiden. I am lucky it didn't strike sooner, I played football in college.

I was able to eventually return to cycling form and complete a 1000 kilometer distance event in 2014. But I have to be more careful than before because I'm on lifetime blood thinner therapy now. I don't ride "in the peleton" anymore or push it out the ragged edge of my ability level, because it's more dangerous to crash now.

Glad you came through that OK, and have remained active!

 

[Number_35]

I’m on a blood thinner for life now too. I still mountain bike but I try to be careful...I also wear shin and leg guard, a helmet, usually elbow pads. And I’m not exactly doing downhill mountain biking, but it’s still risky.

They never discovered why I clotted. But they said 50% of the time they never do. I clotted once more after my initial event, and that lead to blood thinners for life for me. Up until that point I had gone several years, many with meds, and didn’t clot. But the leg I initially had the DVT was hit hard again, and boom. A day later it was another clot. Scary stuff. I feel as if it kind of isn’t fair, but then again there are people out there dealing with much worse every single day.

Good attitude - in the great scheme of things, you are very lucky.