ROANOKE, Va. – Fans of the TV show ‘Friends’ are mourning the death of actor Matthew Perry after an apparent heart attack and drowning.
The sad news reinforces the importance of heart health.
Carilion Cardiologist Dr. Bradley Allen Monday, said we’re seeing instances of cardiac arrest earlier.
“We do see people in their 40s and 50s fairly commonly having heart attacks,” Dr. Allen said.
Allen said that by the time you notice cardiac arrest symptoms, it’s too late.
“Unfortunately the initial presentation for a lot of folks is sudden cardiac death - which if that is the case for Matthew Perry, he’s unfortunately part of that statistic,” Dr. Allen said.
Perry was open about his struggle with substance abuse over the years.
Allen told 10 News substance abuse can put a strain on the heart.
“Anybody who’s using drugs is going to have early Atherosclerosis Disease. And that won’t show up until their 50s or 60s when ordinarily they would have had their heart attack in their 70s or 80s,” he said.
Allen said a heart-healthy diet, not smoking, and getting checked regularly by your doctor are all preventative measures.
“There’s testing we can do to see, to check your cholesterol, how lipids are. And if they’re elevated, potentially treat them,” he said.
It’s also important to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest.
“We ask a lot of people in the hospital, ‘Well, are you having chest pain,’ and they say, ‘No, I’m having pressure in my chest.” And we’re like ‘Well that’s what we’re talking about,’” he said.
And he said if you think you’re okay to drive yourself during a suspected heart attack - don’t.
“People tend to drive themselves to the hospital, which is certainly the wrong answer. They should call 911 and get an ambulance and EMS to them so they can be evaluated and treated,” he said.