HEALTH AWARENESS |
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(NAPSI)-Pat Smith, age 64, has always led an active lifestyle, dedicating her time to exercising and sports, playing with her grandchildren and teaching classes at her local university. Smith’s life has twice been touched by heart disease, as she lost both a husband and a son to heart attacks. Despite this, she never considered herself at risk since her blood pressure, cholesterol and weight were all very healthy. One busy weekend after caring for six of her grandchildren, Smith noticed an odd, fluttery sensation that continued throughout the week. She visited the hospital on the advice of her daughter-in-law, who remarked that Smith’s symptoms were similar to those of her late son. A doctor informed Smith that she had experienced a mild heart attack several days earlier and was at risk for a more significant attack due to two blockages in an artery leading to her heart. This came as a surprise to Smith. Like many women with coronary artery disease, she did not experience symptoms typically associated with a heart attack, such as chest pain and difficulty breathing. Coronary Artery Disease Is Leading Cause of Death Coronary artery disease is a condition in which arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed or blocked by a buildup of cholesterol or other fatty deposits known as plaque. Over time, this buildup restricts the supply of blood to the heart and can cause symptoms such as chest pain, indigestion, light-headedness and shortness of breath. In cases of more severe blockage, a heart attack with resulting tissue damage can occur. In the Restoring Blood Flow To The Heart An interventional cardiologist informed Smith of a clinical trial for a next-generation drug eluting stent, XIENCE™ V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, which is a minimally invasive treatment for coronary artery disease. A drug eluting stent props open the narrowed or blocked portion of the artery and slowly releases a drug in a controlled manner over time to help prevent the artery from becoming blocked again. Just two days after the procedure, Smith was able to resume teaching. She has also been able to maintain her active lifestyle. Next-Generation Treatment Option The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved XIENCE V for the treatment of coronary artery disease. In the SPIRIT III clinical trial, patients treated with XIENCE V had a 45 percent lower risk of experiencing cardiac events such as death, heart attack and the need for retreatment at two years compared to those treated with the most widely used drug eluting stent, TAXUS®. Know Your Baseline Smith feels very lucky that her blocked artery was detected before she experienced a major heart attack. She emphasizes that everyone-especially women-should be aware of anything that feels unusual with their health. “Know your baseline,” she says. “When you don’t feel well, you need to pay attention and rule out the possibility of a larger health problem.” Visit www.xiencev.com for more information. Pat and Sam Smith |
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