SALEM, Va. – Moments can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to a heart attack. Take it from Debbie Spillman.
“It felt like someone was pushing as hard as they could in this area here I couldn’t get any relief,” said Spillman.
It’s a feeling she didn’t recognize. She was heading to bed and assumed it was intense heartburn and would pass with an aspirin. When it didn’t, Spillman drove to LewisGale Medical Center in Salem.
“I had already convinced myself I wasn’t having a heart attack because my EKG was okay and then when they came back and said ‘Yes, you were having an active heart attack.’ I didn’t know what to think,” Spillman said.
Dr. Owusu Asamoah, an interventional cardiologist put a stint in her heart to open the blockage in her main artery. When she woke up, she said she could feel the difference.
“It was like, ‘Tada!’ It was just wonderful how great I felt after that. I didn’t realize how much my body had been ran down by the blockage,” Spillman said.
Now she meets with Dr. Asamoah twice a year, changed her eating habits, exercises more and recently quit smoking.
Take a stand, prioritize your health, and drive change today. Join us in fighting the No. 1 killer of women – cardiovascular disease. Together, let’s save more women: http://spr.ly/6182HdqWn
Posted by American Heart Association on Friday, February 19, 2021
“It makes me so happy and all the changes that she has made in her life. I always tell her I rather see you outside to say hello than to see you in the hospital,” said Dr. Asamoah.
He recommends living a healthier lifestyle to prevent a heart attack but if you are or think you are having a heart attack get to the hospital immediately and remember, time is muscle.
“There are so many things that cause chest pains. Instead of just staying home and trying to trivialize and minimize it, that is why we are here for you just come in let’s figure out what’s going on,” Dr. Asamoah said.
“If you think it might be (a heart attack) don’t risk it, go to the hospital, get it checked out because I was doubting myself that night and I’m so thankful that I talked myself into coming to the hospital. So many people I hear talk themselves out of coming to the hospital and getting checked,” said Spillman.
Click here for the American Heart Association’s list of heart attack and stroke warning signs.