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James Gandolfini Likely Ignored 4 Crucial Heart Attack Warning Signs, Says Top Heart Doc

Wednesday, June 26, 2013 02:29 PM

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve probably heard about the untimely death of James Gandolfini, who was only 51. “The Sopranos” actor died suddenly last Wednesday while on a trip to Italy with his son. Autopsy results indicate his death was caused by a massive heart attack.

And while Gandolfini may seem young to have suffered such a fate, he was “a heart attack waiting to happen,” according to Dr. Chauncey Crandall, renowned cardiologist and chief of the cardiac transplant program at the prominent Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic.

According to Dr. Crandall, medical editor of the Newsmax publication Heart Health Report, “The bottom line is that he was overweight, probably inactive, and he had multiple risk factors.” Additionally, his vacation eating likely contributed to his sad demise. 

On vacation, Crandall reports, “You eat excessively, indulging in fatty foods, and this causes the blood to thicken. The result is a blood clot, which can rupture, resulting in the blockage of blood flow to the heart, causing heart attack and sudden death.”

This exact situation appears borne out by news sources, which report Gandolfini dined on a final meal that included at least eight servings of alcohol. In addition to the rum and beer, he reportedly consumed two orders of fried prawns along with foie gras, a delicacy made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been purposely fattened.

Whether you’re on vacation or not, according to Dr. Crandall, your body will often warn you of a heart attack days, weeks, even a month before the attack strikes. However, many people fail to recognize or act on these warning signs. Recent research from Duke University Medical School indicates that up to 60% of people fail to recognize they are having a heart attack. And these so-called “silent” heart attacks are associated with a shockingly high risk of death.

To help educate the public about this life-threatening heart health hazard, Dr. Crandall has created a free video presentation detailing four bodily signs in particular — some of the most ominous warnings of unrecognized heart attacks.

 



Heart disease generally starts decades before it is diagnosed, Dr. Crandall said. In fact, many of those over 35 already have the early stages of heart disease without even realizing it.

Each year, about 785,000 Americans suffer a first heart attack. And nearly half a million more suffer a repeat attack.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women. In fact, heart disease kills more people each year than all cancers combined, and is responsible for nearly a third of all deaths.

 

And when it comes to heart attack symptoms, most people think of chest pain, or perhaps pain in the left shoulder or arm. Unfortunately, 25% of all heart attacks happen “silently,” without clear or obvious symptoms. Common symptoms may be mild or seem unrelated to the heart.

Dr. Crandall tells Newsmax Health that heart attacks like the one suffered by TV star Gandolfini are tragically common. “Unfortunately, this was a sad case that had clear warning signs.”

Fortunately, Dr. Crandall has a positive message: Heart disease can be prevented — and even reversed — with the right information and simple lifestyle adjustments. He shares helpful strategies in the video.

 





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