[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker\/","headline":"Surviving the Widow Maker: Bill’s Story","name":"Surviving the Widow Maker: Bill’s Story","description":"Thanks to a complete team effort \u2014 from a quick-thinking security guard to the precise talents of an expert interventional cardiologist \u2014 Bill Gruber got a second chance at life. Bill Gruber was determined to avoid his family history of heart disease. His father had his first bypass at age 51 and battled heart disease […]","datePublished":"2020-06-10","dateModified":"2023-04-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","name":"Heart and Vascular Institute","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/heart-vascular","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/heart-and-vascular-institute\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker.jpg","height":325,"width":752},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Heart and Vascular Health","UPMC Stories"],"wordCount":659,"articleBody":"Thanks to a complete team effort \u2014 from a quick-thinking security guard to the precise talents of an expert interventional cardiologist \u2014 Bill Gruber got a second chance at life.Bill Gruber was determined to avoid his family history of heart disease. His father had his first bypass at age 51 and battled heart disease for another 36 years before his death at age 87. His younger brother died a decade ago from heart-related issues.\u201cI thought by working out every day I wouldn\u2019t have the health issues my father and brother faced,\u201d says Bill, 58, the owner of a North Side title insurance company. \u201cI thought I was in pretty good shape.\u201dThe Mars resident swam a mile or more five to six times a week and played racquetball whenever possible. He also golfed during warmer months and played paddle tennis during winter.\u00a0But Bill had just finished his early morning swim last September when he felt a painful pressure in his chest. He took a shower and dressed for a golf outing, but the pain got worse. With the help of a friend, his wife got him into the car and drove straight to UPMC Passavant\u2019s emergency entrance.Stationed at the metal detector was security guard George Valtchev, who took one look at Bill and instantly recognized his pale, gray face and sweating were signs of a heart attack. When Bill acknowledged he was having chest pains, George quickly alerted the emergency department (ED), put him in a wheelchair, and whisked him inside for immediate care from the cardiac team.Moments later, an EKG confirmed Bill was having a STEMI \u2014 a full-blown heart attack caused by complete blockage of the left anterior descending artery. Often referred to as the \u201cwidow maker,\u201d a STEMI is one of the deadliest of heart attacks because the blockage prevents blood from flowing to a large area of the heart. Heart muscle dies if blood flow is not restored quickly.After stabilizing him in the ED, Bill was moved to UPMC Passavant\u2019s Cardiac Catheterization Lab where interventional cardiologist Bryan Robertson, MD, performed an emergency heart catheterization and stent procedure.\u201cI thought I might be having a heart attack, but I didn\u2019t think it was massive,\u201d says Bill. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful for Dr. Robertson \u2014 he saved my life. But everyone there at Passavant worked as a team to save me \u2014 beginning with George to the folks in ED, to the doctors, and nurses. They were all first class.\u201dThe first person Bill saw after leaving the cath lab was George, who was waiting in the hallway to see him and visited during his hospital stay. The experience created a bond and lasting friendship between them.\u00a0Although Bill spent two days in the hospital\u2019s cardiac intensive care unit and another day in the step-down unit, he immediately felt fine after the procedure. \u201cOnce the blockage was gone, I felt immediate relief \u2014 completely normal,\u201d he says. Bill also completed six weeks of outpatient rehabilitation at UPMC Passavant-Cranberry. The supervised rehab program, which focused on building cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength while exercising on a treadmill, bike, and other equipment, also helped to encourage him. \u201cIt was reassuring knowing that I was working out safely and my heart was strong enough,\u201d says Bill. \u201cIt gave me confidence that I could live my normal life again and resume my routine.\u201dAfter his discharge from the hospital, Bill lost 12 pounds just by switching to a heart-healthy diet and eliminating red meat, cheese, peanut butter, and fried foods. He also returned to swimming. He was able to cut his cholesterol medicine in half when his cholesterol levels dropped from 230 to 115.\u201cI feel great,\u201d says Bill. \u201cMy heart attack was a wake-up call. And I\u2019m so grateful to UPMC Passavant for being there for me and giving me this second shot at life.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0Editor's Note: This article was originally published on June 10, 2020, and was last reviewed on April 11, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Surviving the Widow Maker: Bill’s Story","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/06\/surviving-widow-maker\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]