A Search for Answers in Russert’s Death

NY Times ^ | June 17, 2008 | DENISE GRADY

[RichardW]

I share your observation. I thought his face looked puffy recently, as well. I wondered at the time if he had just gained weight but obviously there was more at play here.

[RichardW]

Actually, if they can get to you immediately you can be saved. I knew a fellow who fell over with “sudden death” but the local ambulance was driving by in front of his business. The wife went out and flagged them down and they recusitated him and the last I knew he was alive. His ejection fraction was down to about 35% and he was in cardiac rehab but very much alive. Time is of the essence.

[Chuck54]

I had absolutely zero symptoms until blacking out after exercise. I had been off the treadmill about 10 minutes when my wife heard me “gurgle” and found me slumped over at my desk upstairs.

I’ve had yearly physicals since age 50 with nothing abnormal noted. I also have a history on Mother’s side of heart issues.

I truly believe, and I am non-medical, the only true test to immediately show up blockage is the heart catherization.

A treadmill test is inconclusive. I had one about age 53 and did great. The stationary stress test using chemicals with before and after pictures is what alerted my cardiologist to order the cath test. I heartily recommend the stationary test for obvious reasons. I looked at the very colorful “after” pictures and noted some dark spots. The tech was noncommittal but I think I “knew” the dark spots were blockage indications.

If you were to ever, ever, ever experience even shortness of breath I would immediately start ringing alarm bells. Just my opinion but I sit here tonight thinking I must be the luckiest man in this country. Especially after the Russert issue.

Good luck.

[RichardW]

If you can afford it do the newest gold standard for heart disease where they actually measure the inside diameter of the coronary arteries. The angiogram only shows blockages but does not provide the information that a measurement of the diameter of the blood vessel is determined. That would undoubtedly have shown those plaques since the diameter would have varied considerably.

[chesty_puller]

My Cardo Doc really likes that radioactive Stress test. It kinda a pain but the results are immpressive. My insurance covers if I pay 10%. I think it was a $1200 test. I wish I knew the name of it.

[mojo114]

I think if the family requests an autopsy the family should pay.
If the police or gov’t asks I don’t know.
Great questions.

[Erasmus]

(Stepdad on his deathbed:)
“Know thou, Edmund Dantesh, that you are the full and rightful heir to the Duke of...
Arggg!
Egkh!
Uhhh!”

(Edmund:)
“The Duke of
Arggg!
Egkh!
Uhhh!?
I don’t know any Duke of
Arggg!
Egkh!
Uhhh!”

[chesty_puller]

I didn’t even know who to spell cardiologist until last Wednesday, now I know a great one.

You and me both ! Mine did 6 bypasses without stopping my heart. He hates the bypass machine. My surgery was on a Mon and I was home Wed.

[mojo114]

So happy you are recovering nicely! FReepmail.

[kcvl]

What about this?

http://www.heartcheck.com

[Huck]

Thanks for the input. Yea, when I heard the news about Russert, it got me spooked. All the media-self-congratulation aside, this article does raise just exactly the question/fear that came to my mind. Sheesh, I thought. If big shot Russert can fall down dead from a heart attack, how’s lil ole me gonna do? Not that I want to put the thought out there that I’m gonna have one. I think it’s a rational concern. I try to take staying alive seriously, even though I balance that with trying to live a fun life at the same time. Sounds like I should look into that stress test.

[Huck]

Thank you. I’m gonna look into it. Just think how thankful I’ll be if I catch something bad before it kills me.

[VOA]

If you were to ever, ever, ever experience even shortness of
breath I would immediately start ringing alarm bells.

Amen to that.

IF I'd heard that sort of advice a few months ago, my father might
still be alive.
Early in January, I had a bad cold that lasted about 10 days.
My dad seemed to have a similar problem; he just asked to have
a vaporizer in his room and he "toughed it out" for a day until
my mom and I took him to a primary doct.
The doc said "He's probably got pneumonia" and sent him to be
admitted to the hospital.
I left him and Mom at 1PM, then get a phone-call at work that
he's had a major heart-attack and is on life-supportive equipment.

He rallied a few times, but passed in about 3 days.

He TOTALLY fooled me, my brother and his wife.
No shooting pain down the arm. No chest pain, etc.
We did have some personal recriminations for not taking him to
the doct the night he started to have what he/we thought was
a bad chest cold.
The only solace we had is that he didn't end up a long-term
pin-cushion and that we did have the doctors do all they could
to save a guy that had a long, full life.
Still, it was/is a sad situation.

[Revolting cat!]

Dude, the man may be dead, but he’s still rich, and that’s what counts!

[dfwgator]

What does this have to do with anything? LOSING the weight...now, that means something.

When John Candy suffered his fatal heart attack, he had been dieting and had lost about 40 pounds.

[boop]

"I think if the family requests an autopsy the family should pay. If the police or gov’t asks I don’t know."

You are right about the family requesting autopsies. In some deaths they automatically become a coroner's case, in which a medicolegal autopsy must be performed. Examples: someone under 35 dying suddenly, famous or prominent people, suspicious deaths, deaths in motor vehicles, on the job, any case where there might be a "hint" of legal action in the future. A couple of surprises, most suicides aren't autopsied, if the person has made prior attempts. One time we did an autopsy on an old lady, just because her son "acted weird" when the police showed up.

[mojo114]

Love your response I am intrigued by your comments. Are you in law enforcement or ME.? Perhaps you do not want to say which is fine.
Love to have you write a book. We have a lot of FReepers who are authors and quite successful.

[Lizavetta]

When John Candy suffered his fatal heart attack, he had been dieting and had lost about 40 pounds.

That's great....or not.

He had a lot more than 40 lbs. to lose. If you're 40 lbs. less than you were but still obese, you're still obese.

Did he do the diet pills routine like Christina Onassis who died so very young? Diet pills plus the up and down weight loss will kick the sh*t out of your heart, which is what eventually gives up.

Losing weight isn't enough. Losing ALL your excess weight without taxing your heart without doping up on pills is the way to go.

Behave all week, go gonzo on Sunday, and get back on track on Monday. One day a week to eat and drink what you want is all right. But don't take speed or whatever. Your organs can't take it.

[mojo114]

Just keep reading this thread and you will get the info you need.
Take a stress test and get an angiogram (like a sonogram or what your wife has when pregnant).

[onemiddleamerican]

Cornary CT angiography would have simply and noninvasively diagnosed Russert’s heart disease and provoked a more intensive treatment regimen. However, medicare and the private insurers don’t won’t to pay for the procedure (cost about $1000).

From the article:

In 1998, Mr. Russert had a calcium score of 210 on a CT scan of the coronary arteries, a test that indicates blockages. The result called for “an intensive cardioprotective regimen,” Dr. Newman said. That level can indicate a moderate to high risk of a heart attack.

Looks like he had a CTA, if I am reading this correctly. In which case it looks like the docs dropped the ball.

I wonder if NBC employees have some cheesy HMO plan. Like Kaiser, or similar. HMOs routinely kill off their patients through neglect. Check civil court cases for proof of that.