Former Soccer Pro Would Have A Heart Attack at 36, No One SawThat Coming

 As the coach for multiple youth soccer teams, former soccer pro Lindsey Huie was finishing up one of her daughter’s practices and transferring equipment to some other field for the subsequent practice.

On her way, she had to climb a steep hill. By the time Huie got to the pinnacle of the hill, she was struggling to breathe.

“I [felt] like a piece of paper tore in 1/2 in the center of my chest, and I thought, ‘Gosh, that’s weird. What was that?’ And I just begin sweating profusely, and now I feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest, and I’m in so lots ache it feels like fire up and inside my chest,” She said.

The discomfort pressured her to sit down in the center of the soccer field, which alarmed nearby parents, who recommended they call an ambulance. Afraid to make a scene and scare her children, Huie pleaded to go to urgent care as a substitute of a hospital. There she received an EKG.

“I’m wondering all this time… we’re going to feel so ridiculous when the medical doctor comes back and says I’m struggling from anxiety or I have heartburn, like we’re all going to be looking like fools,” stated Huie.

Suspecting that some thing serious happened in her heart, the medical doctor informed her that she needed to go to the emergency room. While there, tests determined that Huie had a heart attack triggered by spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a tear in an artery wall of the heart, which can slow or block blood flow.

While researchers aren’t certain what causes SCAD, the American Heart Association (AHA) reviews that people who develop the condition are frequently healthy women with few or no risk factors.

“Some studies have pointed to a hormonal link, displaying a greater incidence amongst postpartum women and women who are experiencing or close to a menstrual cycle,” Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, preventive cardiologist and professional for the AHA, said.

Dr. Asim Zaidi, interventional cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, stated the incidence and recurrence rates, causes, outlook, and optimal management of SCAD are uncertain, due to constrained proof accessible to guide medical specialists caring for people with SCAD.

Steinbaum stated spreading awareness about SCAD is necessary so that women learn to seek out medical attention as quickly as viable if they experience symptoms, such as chest ache or pressure, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, and dizziness.

Although Huie experienced some symptoms, she was shocked via her diagnosis due to the fact she was 36 years old, in excellent condition, eating healthy, and living a homeopathic lifestyle, turning to natural treatments rather than medications.

“I had no thought that it was going to be a heart issue,” Huie said.

However, in hindsight, she said the stress of juggling an intense workload whilst caring for her 5 children wasn’t good for her health. She additionally believes going full force back into semi-pro soccer, more than a decade after retirement, put a lot of pressure on her body.

“I was playing with kids who are in college… Probably not the best thing to do and I’m certain that had a lot to do with it,” she said.

Additionally, her mom, dad, and two grandparents had heart disease, though SCAD is different from what they experienced.

“[Although SCAD] can cause a life threatening heart attack, SCAD patients don’t typically have other heart disorder risk factors. Because it frequently occurs in younger women who don’t always have risk factors, there are no clear lifestyle interventions that will decrease the risk,” stated Steinbaum.

Early diagnosis and remedy are the most critical issues when it comes to SCAD.

“SCAD can cause sudden death if it isn’t diagnosed and treated promptly. Seek emergency attention if you experience heart attack symptoms, even if you think you aren’t at risk of a heart attack,” stated Zaidi.