Gary Schulze, an active senior, initially thought he had pulled a muscle in his chest while playing water volleyball. However, it turned out to be coronary artery disease. Six years ago, Schulze, visited his doctor at Aurora BayCare Medical Center and discovered the true cause of his discomfort.
Recalling the experience, Schulze said, “Once in a while, I just did not feel good up here. I thought I had pulled a muscle, you know, what did I do?” His condition was serious enough that doctors immediately arranged for an ambulance to take him from Sister Bay to Green Bay, where he met Dr. Armaan Shaikh.
Dr. Shaikh explained that Schulze had experienced a heart attack known as an NSTEMI, caused by a plaque rupture in his artery. This type of heart attack blocks the artery most of the way, leading to symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain. Schulze’s artery was about 90 percent blocked due to coronary artery disease.
Fortunately, Schulze sought medical help early. Dr. Shaikh noted, “He’s an active guy, so any chest pain with exertion is very unusual for him.” The emergency procedure involved inserting a stent to open the blocked artery. Dr. Shaikh described the process: “We numb up the wrist, use tiny catheters, and take a live x-ray with dye to see the blockage. In his case, he had a plaque rupture in the right coronary artery, and he got a stent with an excellent result.”
Schulze was able to go home the next day and return to his active lifestyle, including traveling and playing pickleball. He advises others to practice moderation and see a medical professional annually, even if they feel fine. “It’s important to accumulate data and see how you’re doing,” Schulze said.
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