Is this a "HEART ATTACK?

Ok - quote from husband below. This is aboutt his brother. His mother had the same thing and said it WAS a "heart attack" --- so, if brother-in-law goes in with chest pains, is this a "literal" heart attack or a heart attack WAITING TO HAPPEN? It is important for me to know this:
"Had a cath last night. he had four blocked arteries. the main left coranary artery was 90% blocked and a major artery on the right side of the heart was 80% blocked. he was a major heart attack waiting to happen. I guess he is going to have some sort of scan on his thyroid today." AND IS IT HEREDITARY? That part worries me some. His brother is only a year older.
I am not worried or anything (about him) so don't worry about your answers. He's a horrible person (for real). BUT I want to know if this would be considered a "heart attack" because that is what my mother-in-law said SHE had with same stuff going on.

4 blocked arteries90% 80% are dangerous signs unless he gets this taken care of, it is a heart attack waiting to happen. What did his Dr advise him to further do?HEREDITARY is a major concern as well normally , a family if members of the family have this they are at risk one has a heart attack others in the family can have them also!!

He is a lucky man, that I kinda knew in my heart of hearts that was just waiting to happen. There was really to much wrong and why the dr's didn't take action right away is very strange. Hopefully this may have him seeing things in a new and better way. Good Luck!! Report It

Sounds like he will be needing to have regualr check ups and maintaion good health with good eating habits and exercises. Keeping up with medications that he has been put on too.
Your husband should get a check up too, there should have been other signs and symptoms that your BIL had prior to all of this yet he was ignoring them...like: unable to walk up stairs without feeling tight in the chest, shortness of breath, those sort of things. Best get a check up asap. :)

Yes it was a real heart attack, just not a major one. They are not hereditary.

The blockage causing it however, sounds like it comes form cholesterol. Portions of that are hereditary. And if his mother has it too, He is running the same risk as his brother. His lifestyle will also dictate his cholesterol level and he could be in better (or worse) shape.

Your husband needs to get to a doctor as soon as possible to get checked out.

This question is a little confusing but here goes..His cath showed lots of blockages..so yes, "he is a heart attack waiting for happen." That is what a heart attack is..complete blockage of a artery that provides blood to that part of the heart..and yes coronary artery disease is very hereditary...What would be a healthy choice is to have your husband see a physician for a good physical and labs and discuss his family history and this will help the physician keep your husband healthier by helping him with medications, changing lifestyles, watching his labs and alerting him to watch for signs and symptoms of chest pain, and watching his blood pressure. You can help him by working with him and the rest of the family by eating healthy, getting exercise because your children in the future could have health problems as well.

As to if this will happen to you only depends on the foods that you eat and your style of life if you eat right exercise and take walks you might never have it or greatly reduce getting it. it is not inherited thing that is none sence only if you are a mindless slug on the couch that does nothing all day long but eat that is a 100% heart attack! and like your dad I am sure he did bad food choices when he was young and a few stuck with him just like my dad he went through thriple heart bypass he lived for 10 more years and then it gave out on him I miss him so much!

A heart attack is when the muscle tissue of the heart is starved for oxygen long enough to cause cell death. Having the symptoms doesn't mean that cardiac tissue was destroyed. The cardiologist can tell when he measures how much blood is ejected from the heart. This data can be obtained with a heart cath or an echocardiogram. It is quite possible to get to the ER in time to prevent heart muscle death. Even if you have crushing chest pain, that does not mean you have had a heart attack.
Heart disease is hereditary. Your risks for heart disease are dramatically increased if you smoke, have high cholesterol, live a sedentary lifestyle or have diabetes. This would be a good time for your husband to get a checkup. He should have bloodwork and a stress test.
You can learn more at the American Heart Association website. Good luck!

Yep. Could have killed him. Good thing he got to the cath lab when he did. |
My boyfriends dad died from heart attac at 55.
His brother had a 4 vessel bypass at 39. His uncle woody had a heart attac and died.
Now I am waiting for him to have the big one. He is so overweight and unhealthy. He weight about 250 lbs and is 5'8".
Yes you have a much much higher risk of having a heart attac if your brother has had one or your dad has had one.

This is not a heart attack but it is one massive heart attack waiting to happen.

Yes it runs in families !!! I have know a family where three of the men died before 60 and all from the same heart condition.
(Father & 2 sons)

With blockages that bad this person would be experiencing symptoms of a heart attack but it is called "Ischemia"
Fancy word for not enough blood getting into the heart muscle.

A true heart attack ( Myocardial Infarction ) is when the blood flow totally stops to an area and the heart muscle dies off.

A heart attack usually refers to blood supply being cut off
If your BIL had a 90% Left main stenosis,and had a heart attack, he would be, in all probability, be dead/
A left main is the worst block you can get
He needs early bypass/angioplasty
He could have a had a pre-heart attack
If he gets a full blown one, he is lnot ikely to make it