Texas Health Alliance and HEB

Rechele bonner, a mother of four, is tough. she needed every bit of her toughness — and some luck — to survive what happened to her last summer. One Woman's Story: A Hard Look at Heart History The 43-year-old teacher didn't have a pulse and was essentially dead for nine minutes on July 4, following a short run on her gym's treadmill. No one would have expected the young, active teacher and mother of four to have a heart attack caused by a 90 percent blocked artery. But appearances can be deceiving, experts say, if you have a family history of heart disease and above-normal cholesterol. A quick-thinking bystander and Bonner's trainer performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation. After emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene and performed automatic external defibrillation to restart Bonner's heart, they took her to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano. Back from the brink Bonner had what is often labeled a "widowmaker" heart attack caused by blockage in the LAD artery. Her grandfather died from a similar heart condition. Bonner spent 24 hours in a medically induced coma while being cooled to preserve brain function. She also had a stent placed to relieve the artery blockage in her heart, and she has made a full recovery. Today, Bonner advocates for greater awareness of heart disease risk factors and symptoms among women. "We assume young women are protected from heart attacks by their youth and relatively healthy lifestyles," says Mark Peterman, M.D., interventional cardiologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Plano. "Mrs. Bonner's case was unusual, but a family history of heart disease—which she possessed—combined with a cholesterol reading even slightly above the normal range should trigger a discussion with your physician about ways to minimize your chance of suffering a heart attack." Rechele Bonner What's the most important number you don't know? Your heart age. Find out what yours is at YourHeartAge.com. Reduce Your Risk A family history of heart disease is beyond your control, but you can do plenty to reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack by addressing other risk factors. "If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, work with your physician to keep these conditions under control, and monitor your cholesterol closely," says Neeraj Badhey, M.D., cardiologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford. "If you smoke, kick the habit as soon as possible. Make exercise and healthful eating part of your daily routine. The best thing you can do for your heart is play an active role in maintaining its health." Find ways to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by visiting TexasHealth.org/ Heart. You'll find a wealth of heart-related information such as vascular screenings offered at Texas Health hospitals, a heart age assessment and a link to request a free Healthy Heart Kit.

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