Susan’s Story: I Never Imagined I’d Be Someone Who Had a Heart Attack

Susan lives in Texas with her husband, John. As a retired corporate communications professional whose son is now grown, she is thrilled to have more time to do what she loves—spending time outdoors, including going on hikes, walks, and runs. 

Susan has friends she walks with every morning and evening, with the goal of clocking 10 miles per day. In retirement, Susan also spent her days caring for her mother, who passed away a few years ago from vascular dementia at the age of 83. She was happy to have the time to care for her mother, but the stress of worrying about her mom also weighed on her.

Before your heart attacks, how would you describe your health?

I ate healthy. I exercised a lot. My goal was to walk about 10 miles a day, breaking it up into a walk in the morning with friends and one in the evening. I worked hard to maintain a healthy weight, and my cholesterol levels and blood pressure were both normal. That’s part of what made my first heart attack so shocking—trying to understand how something like this could happen to me.

Can you tell us about that first heart attack? How old were you?

I was 62 years old. It was a Saturday in August of 2023, and the day started like any other. I walked my usual 5-mile route with my friend Sandi in the morning, ran errands in the afternoon, and met friends for dinner that night. 

My friends kept saying: Out of anybody this could happen to, I never imagined it would be you.

When I got home around 10 p.m., I sat on the edge of my bed and suddenly felt intense pressure and tightness in my chest. I knew right away it was my heart, even though I’d never had an experience like this. I went to the ER immediately. 

At the hospital, they rushed me to the cath lab and found that my left anterior descending artery was more than 90% blocked. They stented it to help restore blood flow.

What was going through your mind at the time?

I thought it was so strange because I ate healthy and exercised. It seemed like I was doing everything right. The doctors couldn’t seem to identify a cause for the 90% blockage in this major artery. There was no obvious reason this happened. I was puzzled.  

I just kept thinking, could this have been caused by stress I had while caring for my mother? I got frustrated, because I didn't know where to turn for answers, and my friends kept saying, “Out of anybody this could happen to, I never imagined it would be you.”

How did you manage your health after that first heart attack? 

After I got my stent, my doctors suggested I enroll in a 12‑week cardiac rehab program. There was a waiting list, so I didn’t enter the program until October 2023. People kept asking why I was there because I didn’t “look” like their idea of a heart patient given my slender appearance. I told them I’d had a heart attack, too. I was prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication and an antiplatelet medication. Doctors were monitoring me diligently, and overall there was nothing alarming.

Then, in July 2024, seven months after I was released from the cardiac rehab center, I started having chest pain again. I knew I couldn’t ignore it, so I went back to the ER. They found a new blockage, more than 90%, in another part of the same artery. This was shocking because everything had looked clear when my first stent was placed.

I was determined to better understand why this was happening.

I can imagine you really wanted answers. What did you do next? 

I started reading everything I could online, and that’s how I learned about Lipoprotein(a), also known as Lp(a) or “L-p-little a.” I couldn't understand why no one on my care team had mentioned it before. High Lp(a) is an inherited condition that can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke^2-5.

Because high Lp(a) is mostly genetically determined and isn’t generally affected by lifestyle, it doesn’t always fit the stereotype that people have of heart disease. High Lp(a) is more prevalent than people may realize.

The puzzle pieces started to fall into place. I brought it up to my cardiologist and asked to be tested; you can find out your Lp(a) level through a simple blood test⁶. High Lp(a)* is an independent heart disease risk factor^2-4. It can cause a buildup of plaque in the arteries and increase risk of blood clots^2,7. Unfortunately, my level was very high, but it gave me answers and prompted me to find a lipid specialist who would manage my care. My doctor created a treatment plan for me which included a treatment called lipoprotein apheresis. Lipoprotein apheresis is a procedure that removes certain substances from your blood—by drawing blood out, filtering out what’s not wanted, like Lp(a), and then returning the rest of the blood back to your body⁸. 

Everyone’s journey with high Lp(a) is different. If you have questions about your Lp(a) level and how your overall health may be managed, start by having a conversation with your health care provider.

What do you wish people understood about Lp(a)?

Because high Lp(a) is mostly genetically determined and isn’t generally affected by lifestyle, it doesn’t always fit the stereotype that people have of heart disease⁹. High Lp(a) is more prevalent than people may realize. It’s inherited and runs in families^2,5,10.

High Lp(a) is serious, and you should work with your doctor to manage other risks like LDL-C and blood pressure¹⁰. You won’t know if you’re at risk unless you get your Lp(a) level tested. 

READ: 7 Things You Need to Know About Lipoprotein(a)

If someone has had a similar experience, what do you want them to know?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that heart disease doesn’t always look the way people expect it to. Knowing your Lp(a) level can give you, and your health care team, more information to help guide and manage your overall heart health¹⁰.

It’s very simple to get your Lp(a) level tested, and it’s especially important for those who’ve experienced an early^† heart event or have a family history of early heart events⁹. Even though some people are afraid to know, I wish I had known earlier. Then I could’ve pushed for more monitoring.

You’ve said the anxiety of experiencing another potential heart event can be the hardest part. What’s that like?

It’s a heavy burden. I’m back to my walking and going about my active life, but with anxiety about the next event. Above all, you learn to live each day with purpose.

For the past four decades, Novartis has contributed to the advancement of cardiovascular science to help unlock longer and healthier lives for all. To help everyone live longer, healthier lives, we must put heart health first and create a world where hearts don’t just beat longer, they beat fuller. 

Susan’s experience is a reminder that heart risk doesn’t always look the way people might think. If early heart attacks or stroke run in your family or you’ve had a heart attack younger than anyone might expect, a conversation with your health care provider about testing your Lp(a) level can be an important step toward understanding your overall heart health risk. It only requires a simple blood test that can be added to your routine blood work.

To learn more about Lp(a), visit WhatIsLpa.com 

*An Lp(a) level greater than or equal to 125 nmol/L or 50 mg/dL indicates a high level¹⁰.

 ^† “Early” means having a heart attack or stroke younger than anyone might expect. For men, this means before age 55, and for women, before age 65^9,10.