A Newcastle dad of two who had life-saving heart surgery following a heart attack said he immediately recognized his symptoms after witnessing his own father's heart attack years ago. Elton Wood went to Royal Stoke hospital to receive emergency care after he felt ill.
Wood, who hails from Cross Heath, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, recognized what was happening to him after seeing his own father suffer a heart attack when he was just nine years old. Wood's story was featured in the most recent series of the top TV show 999 Critical Condition.
The television show heard how the builder had received life-saving surgery. Wood told the show how he first noticed his symptoms after feeling breathless upon waking up.
Wood realized quickly he was having a heart attack
He said that he got up for work like any other day but started feeling breathless and sick. Wood's wife told him to take a paracetamol and go to bed, but he could not sit still and generally felt uncomfortable. That made him realize that he was having a heart attack.
Wood said he was with his dad when he suffered his heart attack when he was 42 years old. He knew the signs, and his symptoms were the same, according to Staffordshire Live. The paramedics confirmed that diagnosis once they arrived and ran their tests. Wood was proven right and that it was what he thought.
Elton, who is dad to 20-year-old James and 21-year-old Jacob, was attended to by consultant cardiologist Dr. Mark Gunning at Royal Stoke. Gunning said Wood would need a stent fitted urgently to clear the blockage and to minimize the reoccurrence of another life-threatening heart attack or cardiac arrest.
Wood paid tribute to his doctor, saying that Dr. Gunning was excellent and he was so reassuring before his operation. Wood said Gunning put him at ease, and he was just brilliant and that the care he received from everyone when he was at the ward after his operation was amazing too.
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Prompt treatment needed to prevent death due to heart attack
He added that he feels great now. Wood is waiting for a follow-up appointment with Dr. Gunning and will have an exercise test soon.
According to Mayo Clinic, a heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is severely blocked or reduced. The blockage is usually due to a buildup of cholesterol, fat, and other substances in the coronary arteries.
These fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits are called plaques, and the process of their buildup is called atherosclerosis. A plaque can sometimes rupture and form a clot that blocks blood flow. A lack of blood flow can destroy or damage part of the heart muscle. A heart attack is also called a myocardial infarction, and prompt treatment is needed to prevent death.
