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A Second Chance
Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans, yet many people are unaware of the symptoms of the disease — something one Melrose Park resident knows firsthand.
When Maria Hernandez, 54, began having difficulty breathing in October 2006, she never would have guessed she was on the verge of a heart attack. After being sent to a local hospital for what was determined to be pneumonia, Maria went home where she thought she would recover on her own. Three days later she was still having trouble breathing, so she went to see a physician who referred her to Loyola University Health System for a stress test.
During her stress test at Loyola, the technician noticed that Maria’s heart was in distress and she was immediately rushed to the adjacent cardiac catheterization laboratory where it was found that she had suffered a mild heart attack. Maria underwent an emergency procedure to correct blockages in her arteries. |
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“I was absolutely stunned to learn I had a heart condition and that my main arteries were clogged,” Maria said. “My doctor said I was a ticking time bomb and that I would have suffered a major heart attack or stroke if my condition had not been found sooner. To say I was lucky is an understatement.”
Beginning Anew
“Heart conditions such as Maria Hernandez’s do not happen overnight,” Bruce Lewis, MD, board-certified cardiologist and interventional cardiologist at Loyola, said. “Heart disease develops over many years, so it’s very important to live a heart-healthy lifestyle. Exercising 45 minutes or more at least five days of the week, avoiding smoking and eating a low-fat diet consisting of whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help you reduce your chances of suffering from this prevalent disease.”
After having two stents placed to open blocked arteries, Maria felt secure that her life had been saved by the emergency procedures.
“This experience made me realize that I needed to take important steps to improve my health,” Maria said. “My children need me.”
She began cardiac rehabilitation and also started an exercise program.
“Maria understood that she needed to change her diet and exercise habits to help improve and maintain her heart’s health,” Dr. Lewis said. “Maria now eats plenty of heart-healthy foods and has eliminated greasy foods from her diet.”
“The wonderful physicians and nurses at Loyola have given me a second chance, and I can’t wait to begin this new phase of my life,” Maria said. “I encourage everyone to undergo a stress test to check for signs of heart disease. I am living proof that early detection of heart disease
saves lives.”
To find out if you are at risk for heart disease, click here www.loyolamedicine.org/risk to take our risk assessment quiz. To make an appointment or find out more about our Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, call (888) LUHS-888 and ask for extension 6-4059.
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