Plaque is the stuff of coronary heart disease. It is CONTROLLABLE, it is STOPPABLE, it is REVERSIBLE.
But you must be equipped with the right information on diet, nutritional supplements, and hopefully the avoidance of medication.
This is the blog that accompanies the 
“You’re a walking time bomb.”
“I can’t be responsible for what happens to you.”
“Your blockage is in the artery called the ‘widow-maker.’”
Familiar lines? These are the well-rehearsed warnings commonly used by cardiologists to persuade a patient to undergo a procedure (heart catheterization and all that follow).
Something happens when you hear these words about your health. Most people’s resolve to explore alternatives, get another opinion, think it over, promptly crumbles when they hear these words. These particular warnings have been time-tested and are surprisingly effective.
Unlike many other conditions, heart disease does indeed result in catastrophic events without warning. Unlike, say, cancer, heart disease can wreak damage suddenly. That’s all true.
What bothers me is the vigor with which the opportunity for hospital procedures is pursued.
The thinking is that hospitals procedures = saving a life. In the vast majority of people, this is nonsense. Procedures like heart catheterization, stents, bypass, do save lives if someone is in the throes of a catastrophe. The problem is that most people who undergo procedures are not in the midst of catastrophe and have every hope of avoiding it altogether with some simple efforts towards prevention.
Imagine this conversation: “Yes, Mr. Smith, you do have heart disease, Even though you have no symptoms and your stress test is normal, I believe that we should 1) identify the causes of your heart disease, then 2) correct them. Of course, if you don’t want to engage in this prevention process, then there may be a point at which heart procedures may be necessary. But I believe that you have great hopes of avoiding them and avoiding heart attack.”
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I didn’t really have the scare tactics. My heart attack was out of the blue. I was in perfect health. Or so I thought. My PCP did say I had High cholesterol and was on meds for that.
2 weeks before I had my first MI(in the gym no less ) I had been going to my PCP with nausea.
I’ve been wondering if this was a precursor to the MI.
2 months latter I had a massive heart attack (the widow maker as you say ) causing a lot of damage to the heart muscle. My EF was 25 it is now around 30. My cardiologist reccomended an ICD which I have now.
I have devoted my blogg to helping people with their feelings in dealing with CHF and other heart problems, by telling my story. It’s very theraputic for me.
But I may be giving wrong advise.
I am no Dr. just a patient with heart problems.
Thank you for taking time with your blogg and for the information.
Some time when you have nothing to do, which I’m sure is rare. Check out my blog @ http://www.richosea.blogspot.com
I might have a lot of missinformation. I also have an article coming out this month in EP Digest. “A patient’s perspective”
Thanks again
Rick O’shea
Over a decade ago, I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. I was told I needed a multiple bypass operation. I was threatened with likely death if I did not agree to surgery. Actually, I probably was close to having a plaque rupture, but I knew that surgery was not the answer. I knew I had to get my dietary habits under control. Because of metabolic syndrome, I also needed some additional medication.
I got my diet under control. My wife and I focused on home cooking with fresh foods rather than processed foods. I have taken a truckload of pills during the past decade. I began exercising regularly. I changed careers to reduce my stress levels. I had my cardiologist do check-ups on me quarterly. But, I have been steadfast about declining stents and bypass surgery.
Most recently, my wife and I have eliminated wheat and wheat flour from our diets, after reading Dr. Davis’ book, “Wheatbelly”. This step actually substantially eliminated my exercise induced angina!
I look forward to many more years of improved health. I particularly enjoy sending some of my early interventional cardiologists annual Christmas cards containing greetings along the lines of the old Timex commercials, “Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”
That’s excellent, Mark!
You bucked the hungry revenue-generating medical system.