You’re never too young to have a heart problem

Timely treatment saves 36 year old businessman.

In this modern day and age, people are still living under the presumption that heart problems are confined to only old people.

This is definitely not the case, and especially so for most of us who are continually subjected to high levels of daily stress, combined with a lethargic lifestyle and poor eating habits.

Be warned that heart diseases can strike at any time, particularly when you least expect it. Such was the case with a young, robust businessman, Khun Theeravee Kruawan, who underwent an angioplasty with stents inserted to open up two arteries at the age of 36. This is his story.

Having recently returned from an overseas business trip, Khun Theeravee experienced discomfort and chest pains. This came intermittently, and he initially mistook them for acid reflux, which would subside on its own. However, it never did, and the pain became more constant. As it continued to persist, Khun Theeravee decided that it would be best to seek professional medical assistance. Knowing that Sukumvit Hospital, which was near his Thonglor residence, had a well-equipped heart centre, he decided to go to their emergency section.

The doctor who completed his initial diagnosis was Dr Nivit Kalra, a cardiology specialist at Sukumvit Hospital’s Heart Centre. Based on his abnormal EKG graph reading, Dr Nivit diagnosed him with a condition that involved heart blockages. The patient was immediately put on special medication to reduce the size of blood clots in his arteries, as well as administered blood thinners to improve blood circulation to the heart. The case of Khun Theeravee was then assigned to Dr Uthai Phanthitphong, a well-known and highly experienced interventionist cardiologist.

The treatment plan was to conduct an angiogram on the patient to determine the root of the problem. Khun Theeravee was prepped for the procedure and Dr Uthai proceeded with caution. The angiogram revealed that one artery was completely blocked, while the other was blocked by 90%. After almost 90 minutes, the procedure was a complete success. A cardiac stent was inserted into the artery that was fully blocked, which resulted in normal blood flow to the heart. Dr Uthai revealed that such a case can be difficult and requires the combination of the right equipment with an experienced medical team.

As the completely blocked artery failed to show up on the Xray, it was therefore important to proceed with extreme caution, so that the catheter that was inserted into the artery did not puncture it, as this could lead to fatal consequences.

As Khun Theeravee is young, he recovered quickly and was discharged from the hospital after two days. When he asked his doctors as to why he had a heart disease at such a young age even though none of his family members had a history of heart problems, Dr. Uthai informedhim that apart from genetics, stress and lifestyle also play a major role. So for those who smoke, they should quit as soon as possible and take special care to reduce daily stress and the quality of diet. Exercise routines should also be incorporated into their daily lives.

Heart disease is an unwanted health hazard that can happen to us at any time without much warning. It is therefore most important to seek expert medical advice and treatment, especially from a reliable establishment with state-of-the-art medical equipment.