Heart Smart

John Medina thought it was just heartburn. He’d had a similar episode once before while taking a walk, but this time, as he was climbing the stairs on his way back to work after a break, he knew his chest pain felt like something more serious. It didn’t go away as it had before – instead it grew in intensity.

It helped that Medina has some experience monitoring heart patients. That’s what he does in his everyday job at Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital in north Fresno. So he notified his supervisor, and was quickly hooked up to a monitor and IV.

“I was having a heart attack,” said Medina, reflecting on that July 1 day. “Right then and there they took me to the cath lab.”

Dr. Rimvydas Plenys was on hand to place two stents in Medina’s heart through a small catheter inserted through the groin area, opening a blockage in one of his heart vessels. Medina called it a simple procedure, and said he didn’t feel anything.

“I happened to be at the right place at the right time, and working in the hospital I know the symptoms of a heart attack,” Medina said. “The good thing about it is 45 minutes later, I’m in the cath lab having my procedure done.”

Medina cautions others not to overlook symptoms. Even with his expertise, he didn’t think much of his chest pain the first time he experienced it.

John Medina was in the right place at the right time when he experienced heart attack warning signs.

“I had a similar episode [two days before]. I started walking more and the pain just went away. I had some salsa and chile rellano, so I just ignored it and thought it was heartburn. Don’t ignore the symptoms.”

Medina won’t be able to enjoy some of those foods much anymore. He said he was immediately told he’d have to switch to a low-fat, low-salt diet and exercise more.

But he is very thankful he sought immediate medical attention the second time he experienced symptoms.

“The lost time there is crucial,” Medina said. “Time is precious when you’re having a heart attack.”

This story was reported by Eddie Hughes. He can be reached at eddieh@communitymedical.org.

Monday, October 06, 2008