Tom Busby and Michael Welsh are teaming up this year in the fight against heart disease!

Michael's Story:
Michael's wife Lori is predisposed to high levels of LPa - learn more at these links:

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/millions-unaware-heart-attacks-strokes-cholesterol-prevention-rcna135654

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0glh7E7jY1k 

The space shuttle Challenger exploded on a Tuesday.  9/11 was a Tuesday.  On Tuesday, September 15, 2020 my wife had a heart attack.  Tom and Michael are Tech Bros - teaming up to fight heart disease! 

Lori doesn't have any of the typical risk factors.  47 years young.  No tobacco usage.  Exercises vigorously.  Watches her diet.  But - and this is a big one - she has a maternal family history of early onset heart disease, believed from a lipid factor called LPa.

But, she was managing this - she had a cardiologist, and underwent all the tests.  Lori was given a less than 1% chance of a heart attack before age 70.

Beware of the Ides of September though.  Especially on a Tuesday. 

Her symptoms were typical.  Chest pain while driving down 270.  At work she felt faint - cold and clammy.  A 90% blockage in your LAD will do that.  Her colleagues knew they couldn't wait.  They called 9-1-1.  EKG strip.  Uh-oh.  The squad knew they couldn't wait.  Red lights and siren.  Tests.  Troponin high.  Cath lab.  Stent.

Did you know the first coronary stent was used within Lori's lifetime?  Prior to that, her condition would have required more invasive intervention and likely a worse outcome.  This is why we walk - to support the research that has made her full recovery possible.