Vernon Anderson’s father passed away at age 54 after suffering a heart attack. Upon turning 54, Anderson wanted to take the preventative steps to make sure he didn’t end up in the same situation as his father.
“I went in to see my cardiologist, Dr. Arash Karnama, and had an EKG done,” said Anderson. “The results came back fine, but I insisted that I have a stress test done because of my family history. They didn’t think it was necessary but they were respectful of my wish to have one done.”
The day after his stress test, Anderson received a call from Dr. Karnama’s office. He was asked to come back in for a CT scan.
“The CT scan revealed that I had two arteries that were 90 percent blocked,” said Anderson. “I was very shocked because I had never had any symptoms like chest pains or shortness of breath.”
Anderson had two stents put in in February 2018.
“After I had the stents put in, my cardiologist told me that I would feel 100 percent better,” said Anderson. “I had never felt bad to begin with, but I was glad that the issues had been found and fixed quickly.”
Following his procedure, Anderson has made many changes toward leading a healthier lifestyle.
“My brother had done the Health Management Resources (HMR) program offered at The Weight Loss & Wellness Center at Oklahoma Heart Institute, so my wife and I decided to give it a try,” said Anderson. “Through the HMR program, I have lost more than 50 pounds and have maintained that for more than six months.”
After his experience, Anderson wants to encourage all to be proactive with their health.
“I never felt unlike myself or had any symptoms prior to finding the blockages,” said Anderson. “I am always encouraging others to get checked regardless of their age or recommendations because it could save their lives. Oklahoma Heart Institute is a great place that can take care of all of those things for you.”