95% blockage of RCA in less than 2 yrs

Question

I just wanted to make others aware that, much to my cardiologist's surprise, it is possible to develop a 95% blockage of the RCA in 2 yrs time.  I had stent 12/09 on diagonal and felt fine for a while.  But I began to notice moderate pain in chest and across shoulders almost weekly after sleeping 45 minutes and upon walking a short distance or when raising my arms above my head.  Stress tests, EKGs, Echo's showed nothing so cardiologist said it must be indigestion or muscle spasms and to ignore the pain.  I did for 2 yrs until this last week when I was wakened with severe chest pains at 5 a.m.  I had had EKG/Echo just 3 days earlier and sent home by cardiologist with no concerns at all that it was my heart.  Well, needless to say, it WAS MY HEART and I had a heart cath and stent and was told I had 3 other blockages less than 40% that he would keep an eye on.  While I still believe I have an excellent cardiologist, I truly believe that because I am a woman that my symptoms are different than a man and are largely ignored by most cardiologists standards.  This has got to contribute to the large number of deaths in woman from heart attacks.

ed34 · Accepted Answer

You are absolutely correct. Inflammation and atherosclerosis doesn't have to take years. I had an angiogram in mid 2010, and by December that year I was in hospital with chest pains. A 95% blockage had formed in 6 months in my Left Circumflex. However the plaque was pretty soft, like butter which showed it wasn't very old. It does seem to take time for a thick calcification to occur.

linda1054 · Answer

After working in healthcare for 40 years (respiratory therapist), including a cardiac rehab program, I've seen the discrepancy between how men & women are treated (or not treated) when it comes to heart disease. I think you are probably right about this contributing to high rates of death in women from heart disease.