Listen to your heart.

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I’m sitting here tying to find the right way to word this, and that’s all I keep landing on.

Earlier today, my better half wasn’t feeling well. She felt like she had a migraine, felt tightness in her throat, and had trouble taking full breaths without discomfort. There was some chest pain, but, similar to what you would attribute to an anxiety attack. It wasn’t enough to alert her, initially, as someone who experienced a mild heart attack when she was pregnant in her early 20’s. I tried to get her to lay down and relax, and after a few minutes, we realized that wasn’t helping matters any. That’s when we knew something beyond anxiety was going on.

She had a heart attack. She’s 35 years old. They had to open up a 100% blockage in one pathway with a stent.

Hours later, she made me go home to rest. I didn’t want to leave her side, she didn’t want me to leave hers. We both knew that it would be better for her to just lay there and rest without looking over at me every couple seconds to check in on me, because that’s the kind of love she gives me… she could literally be recovering from a heart attack, and her concern is for me. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here with complete disregard for myself. She knows that, and her way of forcing me to care for myself is to send me home to eat, shower, and attempt to get some sleep.

Instead… I wanted to reach out to you all. We’re not as young as we used to be. Get that weird rhythm checked out. Get that headache that won’t quit checked out. I don’t care if you’ve glazed over every post I’ve made, disagreed with any point I’ve made, or just think I’m a dick for bringing that kind of stuff up at a time like this. Make this the one thing I say you take to heart. Literally. Take care of yourselves. There are people out there that love you, and would be devastated if anything were to happen to you. I came so close to losing the person that I love today, and one of very few people that love me. I’ve been through some of the scariest shit you could imagine… from being mauled by a dog as a toddler, to being stabbed and shot at as a teenager, to regularly being assaulted and put in life or death situations for work as an adult, and none of that compares to the thought of waking up tomorrow without the woman I love. Someone, somewhere, feels that way about you, whether they’re a partner, family member, or friend. They’d be devastated if something happened to you.

Please, take care of yourselves.
 

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We love you both, Mark and Kris, send her our best, let her know we're thinking of her and yes, you eat, you rest, take care of yourself so you can take care of her!
 

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Said it already, but I hope she has a fast and full recovery. And do take care of yourself.

You're not wrong, I had my first real anxiety attack last year, while driving, and it worried me enough I took myself to the ER. After all the EKGs, etc. they told me my potassium was low and I was dehydrated.

Easily fixed with a banana and a bag of IV fluid, but it should have been more of a wake up call that I can't run my body on spite forever...

At least I'm trying to double down on quitting smoking, so I can worry less about lung cancer or whatever. 🤞🏻
 

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that's awful Mark, definitely would be scary thing to experience I'm glad that she's ok and I hope she recovers quickly
 

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Glad she’s doing okay!

Thank you. Man, if you would have seen how quickly they moved her around… put every single large city hospital I’ve ever went with someone with right to shame. Triage barely had her vitals recorded and information entered before they were ready for her at the next step. From first-time patient registration to post-op recovery in under an hour and a half.

How scary! I've heard that it's common to mistake a heart attack for anxiety or indigestion, especially for women. I'm glad you were there for her and made her take it seriously.

She’s also a natural redhead and in pain management for endometriosis, so her tolerance for pain is wildly different than the average person. She was supposed to fall asleep for the procedure… Nope. Fully awake, aware, and alert the whole time.

We love you both, Mark and Kris, send her our best, let her know we're thinking of her and yes, you eat, you rest, take care of yourself so you can take care of her!

I’ll be talking to her again shortly, so I’ll make sure I mention you by name, she likes you because you talk shit to me.

Said it already, but I hope she has a fast and full recovery. And do take care of yourself.

You're not wrong, I had my first real anxiety attack last year, while driving, and it worried me enough I took myself to the ER. After all the EKGs, etc. they told me my potassium was low and I was dehydrated.

Easily fixed with a banana and a bag of IV fluid, but it should have been more of a wake up call that I can't run my body on spite forever...

At least I'm trying to double down on quitting smoking, so I can worry less about lung cancer or whatever. 🤞🏻

Yeah, I’ve been neglecting a reoccurring issue that has reduced to only happening twice since I’ve moved out of Baltimore where my heart jumps up to 180+bpm for a bit. I figured… stress is absolutely a contributing factor to that, but, I don’t want to put her through what I just went through. I hate to sound like I’m thinking of myself, but, I know how helpless I felt today. I don’t want to put that on her, because no matter what the two of my real-life friends I’ve talked to about today have told me, I still feel guilty for not doing something sooner, and I still am retracing the day and days leading up to this wondering if I missed something.

that's awful Mark, definitely would be scary thing to experience I'm glad that she's ok and I hope she recovers quickly

So far, so good. The observational period is to monitor how she responds to medication and the procedure itself, and when I left, they were already freeing the arm up that the stent was ran through. Apparently they immobilize that arm afterwards to prevent damage, and only free it when they feel it’s safe to do so.

Thank you all for your support, but, remember… this is my love letter to y’all to take care of yourselves. Don’t forget that part, damnit, or I’m gonna give you shit if you do.
 

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She’s also a natural redhead and in pain management for endometriosis, so her tolerance for pain is wildly different than the average person. She was supposed to fall asleep for the procedure… Nope. Fully awake, aware, and alert the whole time.
We redheads are a screwy breed, but she sounds like a straight up superwoman!
I’ll be talking to her again shortly, so I’ll make sure I mention you by name, she likes you because you talk shit to me.
Hey, I'm an angel! :p
Thank you all for your support, but, remember… this is my love letter to y’all to take care of yourselves. Don’t forget that part, damnit, or I’m gonna give you shit if you do.
I'm already seeing a cardiologist on the regular, my ticker's not so great, but we're working on it.
 

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Wow, what an awful thing.. glad she's okay and hope for a speedy recovery.

With a dad who passed away due to heart issues, I'm already on alert. Trying to eat better and excercising and being on the lookout for my general health.

And thanks for looking out for us, dude

I also come from a family with heart issues, and I always tried to convince myself that because I no longer drink and I’m in relatively good shape that I’d stand a better chance, but, I’m absolutely reevaluating that belief… because that shit can hit anyone unannounced.

I’m trying to look at it like alerting the people heading the direction I came from that there’s a cop posted up ahead and to slow down. I don’t wanna see anyone pay the price. I can’t stand preachy people, and don’t wanna be one myself, but, there’s a lot of crazy shit going on in the world and it’s easy to overlook our health.

That's scary... glad things worked out. That's so scary, and really does go in conjunction with Jamie's recent post about turning 40 and realizing things like this can and do happen.

Best of luck getting everything back to normal soon!

Yeah, dude, I was thinking about Jamie’s post when I posted this thread and the irony of it all. That’s part of the reason why I made the thread, because originally I had just reached out to the admins and told them I might be sporadic for a while, but after thinking about it… I figured it’s fitting, to give everyone a “hey, Jamie wasn’t kidding… it’s sneaking up on us, be careful y’all”.

So, you'll make fun of me if I die from a heart attack?!

how... heartless

I mean, it’s what I do. If I’m not picking on someone, someone else might wanna check my pulse.

Just chiming in again to say thinking of you both. Hope all is ok and Kris is taking plenty of rest!

IMG_1001.jpeg

The vitals have improved substantially over this one from yesterday:

IMG_1002.jpeg

Thinking about you both as well. Best wishes to you. :hugs

Thank you, Marcie, and to everyone else who has replied since my last response as well. Her condition has substantially improved, and we’re on track for her to be released tomorrow. She’s going to be on 5-6 medications for the foreseeable future, and some of those permanently. We were told today that if we waited another 30-60 minutes, the outcome would have been totally different. That’s a tough one to digest.
 

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View attachment 26868

The vitals have improved substantially over this one from yesterday:

View attachment 26869
That is a vast difference, glad to see it. Keep passing her our best wishes, we're always here for you and for her! We're family and we love you both.
Thank you, Marcie, and to everyone else who has replied since my last response as well. Her condition has substantially improved, and we’re on track for her to be released tomorrow. She’s going to be on 5-6 medications for the foreseeable future, and some of those permanently. We were told today that if we waited another 30-60 minutes, the outcome would have been totally different. That’s a tough one to digest.
That's fantastic news that she's set to be released, but it is scary how close it could have been. So thankful it wasn't, and the medications aren't fun, but better that than the alternative, for sure. Long road ahead, but you're two strong people and you got this!
 

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That is a vast difference, glad to see it. Keep passing her our best wishes, we're always here for you and for her! We're family and we love you both.

She said that she appreciates all the well wishes, and echoes what I’ve said about being mindful of what your body is telling you. Although it’s impossible to prevent, she doesn’t want anyone else to have to experience a scare like this if they can avoid it.

That's fantastic news that she's set to be released, but it is scary how close it could have been. So thankful it wasn't, and the medications aren't fun, but better that than the alternative, for sure. Long road ahead, but you're two strong people and you got this!

Yeah, I’m not a religious man by any means, but I’ve got beef with the Grim Reaper now. That bastard better stay away from my people.
 

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She said that she appreciates all the well wishes, and echoes what I’ve said about being mindful of what your body is telling you. Although it’s impossible to prevent, she doesn’t want anyone else to have to experience a scare like this if they can avoid it.
Yeah, well worth keeping tabs on things. Definitely.
Yeah, I’m not a religious man by any means, but I’ve got beef with the Grim Reaper now. That bastard better stay away from my people.
You tell that fucker!
 

Mark

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You tell that fucker!

It’s on sight between that guy and I, talking wastes time.

Hopefully my Apple Watch might give me a heads-up on any issues, although it pretty explicitly says it doesn't check for heart attacks.

Glad to hear she's on the mend.

I wonder if that’s a liability thing, or an accuracy thing, because I’ve been going down the rabbit hole about how they were not only able to identify that she was having a heart attack, but precisely which kind she was having and where in the heart it was located based solely off of imaging.

Admittedly, I’ve been petrified of hospitals and white coats since I was a kid and restrained to be sewn back up after a dog tried taking my ear and a couple pints of blood from me. Since then, the only time I’ve been is when I had no choice, someone was dying, or giving birth. Very rarely was it a good experience like welcoming a new baby to the world, it was mostly deaths. So, learning about how they’re able to identify which ventricle is which on an EKG without the ultrasound had been fascinating and equally scary.
 

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I am so sorry I missed this Monday!

I'm so sorry, Mark. I'm glad she's on the path to recovery, but now it's ALWAYS going to be a worry, for you both.

My thoughts are with you both during the recovery. Life is precious.

I also think it's funny how you mention your wife was concerned for you while she was recovering, but here you are worrying about us when YOU should be recovering. I'd say you're both cut from the same cloth of amazing people!
 

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I am so sorry I missed this Monday!

I'm so sorry, Mark. I'm glad she's on the path to recovery, but now it's ALWAYS going to be a worry, for you both.

My thoughts are with you both during the recovery. Life is precious.

I also think it's funny how you mention your wife was concerned for you while she was recovering, but here you are worrying about us when YOU should be recovering. I'd say you're both cut from the same cloth of amazing people!

You’re good, dude. I don’t expect everyone to catch a post the moment it’s made. I just appreciate you taking the time to read it and your kind words, and it’ll mean even more to me if anyone here pauses to reflect on their own life and health or their loved ones.

I’d rather walk a road of recovery with her than carry her to her grave, to be blunt. She has a long history of health issues from cancer and a previous mild heart attack to the more common stuff like asthma, so she’s no stranger to having to be cautious.

As far as worrying about y’all goes… I don’t see it as something that makes me a good person. If anything, my realization over the last few days has been that we’ve been preoccupied with surviving in this world and adapting to all of the problems in it that it’s easy for us to forget that we’re only here for a little while and we need to make the best of it, even if everything around us is shit. We can’t do a damn thing about Trump, or Israel, or Iran, or the reds and blues. All we can do is love each other and look out for one another, because no one else will.
 

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That's so scary, Mark. It's hard to believe that something like that can happen to someone so young. Someone my age. I'm glad she's doing fine now, and appreciate the reminder to get ourselves checked out routinely. I had that though laying in bed last night when like half of my body was aching. I never felt this way when I was younger. It's a wake-up call that my body is getting older and more worn down, and I have to take it easy. We all do.
 

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That's so scary, Mark. It's hard to believe that something like that can happen to someone so young. Someone my age. I'm glad she's doing fine now, and appreciate the reminder to get ourselves checked out routinely. I had that though laying in bed last night when like half of my body was aching. I never felt this way when I was younger. It's a wake-up call that my body is getting older and more worn down, and I have to take it easy. We all do.

This reaction is exactly what I hoped to bring out of everyone here, and I’m glad that everyone is picking up on it and looking at themselves. Especially because she’s younger than most of us here. There are a lot of things we notice that we didn’t necessarily experience in previous years, and I’m absolutely guilty of that whole “well, this sucks, but, I’ll be alright” approach, so I know firsthand how easy it is for stuff to get pushed to the backburner.

It’s a shitty realization that we’re getting older, but, it’s also a gift a lot of people don’t get, and we can’t take it for granted.
 

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It’s a shitty realization that we’re getting older, but, it’s also a gift a lot of people don’t get, and we can’t take it for granted.
Very well said. You have a way with words. I'd been a bit down over the past couple of days, but reading this actually helped to reframe my thinking.
 

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I also come from a family with heart issues, and I always tried to convince myself that because I no longer drink and I’m in relatively good shape that I’d stand a better chance, but, I’m absolutely reevaluating that belief… because that shit can hit anyone unannounced.
I read recently that cholesterol is mostly driven by genetics. A terrible diet can cause it too, but even if you're active and eat well, you might still need meds if you have a family history of heart issues. So definitely keep an eye on it.

it’ll mean even more to me if anyone here pauses to reflect on their own life and health or their loved ones.
Then you'll be reassured I've already been taking steps there. I made an appointment with a PCP for the first time in several years and will have them do blood work for possibly the first time ever. So I'm on it.

It’s a shitty realization that we’re getting older, but, it’s also a gift a lot of people don’t get, and we can’t take it for granted.
Yep: getting older may suck, but it sure beats the alternative.
 

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Very well said. You have a way with words. I'd been a bit down over the past couple of days, but reading this actually helped to reframe my thinking.

I’m glad to hear that, bro. I’ve spent too many years with a negative outlook, so if I can instill a little bit of optimism and positivity in someone else, it means a lot to me and becomes something that I can feel positive about.

I read recently that cholesterol is mostly driven by genetics. A terrible diet can cause it too, but even if you're active and eat well, you might still need meds if you have a family history of heart issues. So definitely keep an eye on it.

This is also in line with what I’ve heard, but, I’m not about to start chugging liquefied butter to find out. I don’t exactly make the best dietary choices, and neither does she, but, we are mindful of portion sizes and caloric intake. We never just binge on food for the sake of eating.

Then you'll be reassured I've already been taking steps there. I made an appointment with a PCP for the first time in several years and will have them do blood work for possibly the first time ever. So I'm on it.

This and Kelly’s message coupled with the fact that I got to bring Kristina home today has made my day. Granted, I’m sure you didn’t run right out and make an appointment because of my thread, but, the fact that y’all are picking up what I’m putting down means a lot.

Yep: getting older may suck, but it sure beats the alternative.

There were times where I begged for that dirt nap, and nowadays? I want all the time I have left with all the people I have in that time.

Benjamin Button, yeah.

I’d rather not relive the first half of my life… plus, instead of death, would that mean you’ve gotta crawl back up in there at the end? Hell naw.
 

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I’d rather not relive the first half of my life… plus, instead of death, would that mean you’ve gotta crawl back up in there at the end? Hell naw.
Like a newborn kangaroo, just turning into a wet embryo clinging to your mom's bush while trying to find the darkness.

I'll show myself out.
 

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Like a newborn kangaroo, just turning into a wet embryo clinging to your mom's bush while trying to find the darkness.

I'll show myself out.

In that case… I’ll just hope for natural selection to take me out before the second time through. I wasn’t a bright kid… I was one of those idiots that stuck a fork in an outlet, put a steak knife through my hand cutting carrots for iguanas at 5 years old, flew down a flight of steps, etc.
 
I read recently that cholesterol is mostly driven by genetics. A terrible diet can cause it too, but even if you're active and eat well, you might still need meds if you have a family history of heart issues. So definitely keep an eye on it.
One of the more surprising medical facts I learned from my dentist is that genetics can account for up to 2/3 of the variation in dental caries. Females typically have more than men too.
 

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One of the more surprising medical facts I learned from my dentist is that genetics can account for up to 2/3 of the variation in dental caries. Females typically have more than men too.

I’ve heard this before also, but mostly within the context of “be careful with acid, son, because I took a lot of that shit in the 70’s and apparently it travels through sperm” from my father and “heart disease, diabetes, and cholesterol problems run in our family” from my mother, whose family has never ran… ever… if you catch my drift. It wasn’t until well into my adult life that I started learning about dental issues and heredity, kidney issues and heredity, heart issues and heredity, etc.

Glad she's home again!!

She’s so happy to be home, but, she’s already on my shit list for insisting on doing chores and whatnot.
 

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One of the more surprising medical facts I learned from my dentist is that genetics can account for up to 2/3 of the variation in dental caries. Females typically have more than men too.
I've heard that about teeth too. Yeah, you can fuck them up if you don't brush them, but you might end up with fucked up teeth even if you do. Just depends on your genetics.
 

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I sent her a screenshot of your reply, and this is what she sent back:

View attachment 26908
She can do whatever the MD allows her to. Don’t fight her if she’s complying with their directions even if you want her to relax. If she isn’t, remind her of the restrictions/precautions and that you want her around for a long time
 

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She can do whatever the MD allows her to. Don’t fight her if she’s complying with their directions even if you want her to relax. If she isn’t, remind her of the restrictions/precautions and that you want her around for a long time

Oh, I’m just giving her hell because she’s still here for me to do just that, that’s all. We have a very …torturous… relationship. I’m glad that she’s able to function as well as she is, but, if I don’t fuck with her about not overdoing it, she likely will. Like last night for example, she was bending over loading the dishwasher, and she nearly used the hand they ran the stent through to rest on the counter to lean over. She’s past that point of concern for occlusion, technically, but, they still advised her to be careful with the entry point for a few extra days just to avoid any chance of inflammation or infection. Otherwise… light cardio dish loading = good in my book.
 

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I think most people would insist their significant other take a break from chores the day they come home from the hospital, regardless of what a doctor says. And somebody who insists on doing chores after almost dying could probably benefit from learning to take a break and relax, even if light housework is unlikely to cause health problems.

Mark, is she one of those people who gets stressed out sitting around and not being "productive"? Maybe you can find a relaxing way for her to channel that energy, like a hobby she's been neglecting or something.
 

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I think most people would insist their significant other take a break from chores the day they come home from the hospital, regardless of what a doctor says. And somebody who insists on doing chores after almost dying could probably benefit from learning to take a break and relax, even if light housework is unlikely to cause health problems.

Mark, is she one of those people who gets stressed out sitting around and not being "productive"? Maybe you can find a relaxing way for her to channel that energy, like a hobby she's been neglecting or something.

Honestly, she’s a lot like me in the sense that she just doesn’t *think* before she does a chore, she just does it. I don’t believe the thought of her having a heart attack not even 72 hours prior even crossed her mind when she went to go load those dishes, autopilot took over.

She has been incredibly conscious compared to her usually absentminded self, though, which I’m proud of. For example… she also has a broken toe from busting her ass on the ice last week, and she kept trying to walk on it without any modification to her steps. Last night? She asked me to sit with her while she showered just in case the temperature difference or bending over to wash her hair bothered her.
 

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I think most people would insist their significant other take a break from chores the day they come home from the hospital, regardless of what a doctor says. And somebody who insists on doing chores after almost dying could probably benefit from learning to take a break and relax, even if light housework is unlikely to cause health problems.

Mark, is she one of those people who gets stressed out sitting around and not being "productive"? Maybe you can find a relaxing way for her to channel that energy, like a hobby she's been neglecting or something.
Best medical practice is to be active on some level after almost every procedure. Hip replacement? Out of bed and walking in under 24 hours. Quadruple bypass? Lots of slow walking, Non-strenuous activities almost immediately
 
Just now seeing this (sorry, I rarely go looking for new threads, usually I just check on my notifications for stuff I'm already subscribed to). Glad you got her help quickly and she's back home okay.

Yeah you're right, that sort of thing is no joke. If you're in your late thirties (which most of you are), it's probably past time to start thinking about cholesterol as well as regular checkups with a doctor. I'm only 42 and a few months ago was diagnosed with PVC. Which isn't necessarily alarming or scary, but still got me thinking I'm already experiencing heart issues so need to go careful.
 
I wonder if that’s a liability thing, or an accuracy thing, because I’ve been going down the rabbit hole about how they were not only able to identify that she was having a heart attack, but precisely which kind she was having and where in the heart it was located based solely off of imaging.
I looked into this. It seems like it's both. It's very difficult to tell from a single point ECG if someone's having a heart attack, even using sophisticated algorithms. The doctors were likely able to tell what kind of heart attack she was having because they take measurements from 12 different locations on the body and can interpret from that. I found a study that says the Apple Watch can do the same thing, but this involved holding it flat against the body in 12 different places and taking an ECG at each one which is clearly not practical (each ECG takes 30 seconds for a start).

Maybe in the near/mid future it might be possible to at least get decent accuracy with a wrist device, and even if it's not as accurate as the clinical device as you rightly said elsewhere time is of the essence with these things and that's one thing wearables would give people.
 

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Just now seeing this (sorry, I rarely go looking for new threads, usually I just check on my notifications for stuff I'm already subscribed to). Glad you got her help quickly and she's back home okay.

Yeah you're right, that sort of thing is no joke. If you're in your late thirties (which most of you are), it's probably past time to start thinking about cholesterol as well as regular checkups with a doctor. I'm only 42 and a few months ago was diagnosed with PVC. Which isn't necessarily alarming or scary, but still got me thinking I'm already experiencing heart issues so need to go careful.

Like I told someone else earlier in the thread bro, I don’t expect people to see a thread the moment it’s posted. We got wolf games here and political shitshows there. I just appreciate you taking to time to read it, the kind words you’ve said, and the fact that you’re already on top of making sure you take care of your health so you can stick around and talk dirty to us for longer, and harder if you have good cardiovascular health.

I looked into this. It seems like it's both. It's very difficult to tell from a single point ECG if someone's having a heart attack, even using sophisticated algorithms. The doctors were likely able to tell what kind of heart attack she was having because they take measurements from 12 different locations on the body and can interpret from that. I found a study that says the Apple Watch can do the same thing, but this involved holding it flat against the body in 12 different places and taking an ECG at each one which is clearly not practical (each ECG takes 30 seconds for a start).

Maybe in the near/mid future it might be possible to at least get decent accuracy with a wrist device, and even if it's not as accurate as the clinical device as you rightly said elsewhere time is of the essence with these things and that's one thing wearables would give people.

Man… technology is getting amazing. I’m also floored by their ability to run a stent from her wrist all the way to her heart that’s apparently the diameter of a drinking straw without damaging the artery in the process. My last experiences with people having heart attacks were my grandparents, and each one of them had their chest cracked and multiple bypasses performed, so it was MUCH different than an hour and a half turnaround.
 

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Man… technology is getting amazing. I’m also floored by their ability to run a stent from her wrist all the way to her heart that’s apparently the diameter of a drinking straw without damaging the artery in the process. My last experiences with people having heart attacks were my grandparents, and each one of them had their chest cracked and multiple bypasses performed, so it was MUCH different than an hour and a half turnaround.
Wow! That's incredible they can do that. I had no idea.
 
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