On Christmas Eve, many in our community are performing last-minute holiday preparations before settling in for the evening.
Other families are traveling to see family and friends near and far.
Lauren and Kahler Cox were on the road with their extended family as well. They had just spent a relaxing vacation on the Gulf Coast of Florida with local and out-of-town relatives. The newlyweds were happy to be spending the holiday season with their loved ones.
Kahler becomes ill
While making their way home to Apollo Beach, Kahler, 29, started to experience a severe case of acid reflux. His family thought nothing of it as they continued south on Interstate 275 toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. But Kahler’s symptoms escalated quickly, and he began to experience pain in his chest and difficulty breathing. As the family crossed the Skyway, they knew they had to get him to a hospital quickly.
Kahler had experienced these symptoms before. He has a long list of family members who have suffered from various heart events over the years, including his father and uncle. Although he was a smoker and struggled with high cholesterol, Kahler never thought it would happen to him.
Manatee ER
The Coxes went to the ER at Manatee Memorial Hospital, where S. Jay Mathews, MD, MS, FACC, FSCAI, was on call that evening. A cardiologist with Bradenton Cardiology Center, he was on STEMI alert that night. STEMI, which stands for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, is a serious type of heart attack that has a greater risk of serious complications and death.
Within minutes of arriving, Kahler went into cardiac arrest. His left anterior descending artery was blocked. This artery provides about half of the arterial supply to the left ventricle and is considered the most important vessel supplying the left ventricle. Blockage of this artery is often called a widow-maker infarction due to a high risk of death. CPR
was started, and Dr. Mathews was called for a STEMI alert. In less than an hour, Kahler was taken to the Cath Lab and four stents were placed in his heart.
“I was worried that it would happen again, maybe in surgery, because we just didn’t know,” Lauren recalls thinking as her family waited for an update on Kahler’s health. A little more than an hour later, Dr. Mathews appeared with good news, shouting across the waiting area that Kahler was OK.
“Despite being so young, Kahler was in a serious situation just having had a cardiac arrest requiring a shock to his heart,” said Dr. Mathews. “I was at home with the family when I got the call. We had to open up a clotted right coronary and blocked left anterior descending artery, conditions associated with an increased risk of death. Fortunately, I was able to reopen all of his arteries quickly with stents, and I had the pleasure of telling his new wife he would be home with his family. That was a Christmas present worth giving.”
Kahler was discharged on Christmas Day. “I’m still in shock that it happened,” he says.
Thanking the team that saved his life
Recently, the Coxes traveled back to the hospital to officially meet the ER team. It was their opportunity to thank the group that helped to save Kahler’s life.
“We wanted to see them, and tell them thank you,” Kahler says. During the reunion, many of the team who were there that evening were able to get closure. With Lauren and Kahler still fresh in their minds, it seemed that the Manatee Memorial family was most thankful.
“Patients come in and then they are either admitted to the hospital or leave. Most of the time, we never know what happens,” says ER Nursing Manager Jill Ruff, who was on duty that night. “It was good to see him, thank him, and know that he is doing so much better.”
“We were so pleased with his care,” Lauren reiterates. “We had a really good experience.”
A better lifestyle
After a few follow-up appointments, Kahler is on his way to a healthier way of living. He has quit smoking, his cholesterol is
in a more manageable range, and he has started to work out again.
“I am telling my buddies that I talk to every day to go get their blood work done, get tested!”
What is a CT Heart Score?
A computed tomography (CT) Heart Score is a noninvasive test that can identify heart disease in its early stages. Using our CT scanner, we are able to take rapid cross-sectional images of your heart. Those images can show calcium build-up in your arteries, a potential sign of coronary artery disease. These images can help you and your physician determine whether any lifestyle changes are needed to reduce or avoid the risks of heart disease.
Is the test right for you? Manatee Diagnostic Center values the appropriate use of medical testing. If you are a male, ages 35 to 70, or a female, ages 40 to 70, with any of the following risk factors, the CT Heart Score may provide valuable information to your physician about your heart health.
Heart disease risk factors:
• Diabetes
• Family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Overweight
• Smoking
Manatee Diagnostic Center
Call 941-747-3034 to make an appointment for a CT Heart Score today.
Bradenton Cardiology Center
To make an appointment with Bradenton Cardiology Center, call 941-748-2277.
Bradenton Cardiology Center is affiliated with Manatee Memorial Hospital.