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At just
55 years old, Jeff Calvert has a lot of life left
to live—a life that was almost taken away due to a
sudden heart attack last March.
“I had what’s called a ‘widow-maker’ because it has
a low survival rate,” he said. “At first I thought it was
trapped gas, pressure in my stomach. I came inside the
house, sat down at my computer and passed out.”
Once awake, Jeff asked a neighbor to take him to the
emergency department. While en route to the hospital,
he went into cardiac arrest and upon arrival required
CPR for 30 minutes—nearly three times the average
time frame for resuscitation.
“Having 30 minutes of CPR is very unusual and is
successful less than 1 percent of the time,” Ronald
Jenkins, M.D., interventional cardiologist at Kootenai
Heart Clinics Northwest, said. “The staff in the ED that
day saved his life. They know how to do CPR, and they
know how to do it well.”
Once emergency staff were able to detect Jeff’s
pulse, Dr. Jenkins successfully located the damaged
artery and placed a stent to strengthen the artery and
hopefully prevent future heart attacks.
As remarkable as Jeff’s case is, his change in
perspective is what’s most inspiring. Before his heart
attack, Jeff avoided the doctor’s office, smoked
regularly and did not have an exercise regimen. After
his procedure, Jeff gave up smoking and adopted an
exercise routine as part of his cardiac rehabilitation at
Kootenai.
“I have a different view about what health is, what
it looks like,” he said. “I’ve always eaten well, but
through my cardiac rehab program I now know how
important exercise is. Work isn’t exercise. Work is what
you do if you just want to live. Exercise is what you do
if you want to live healthy.”
In addition to his new healthy habits, Jeff now also
appreciates the importance of seeing a primary care
provider regularly.
“I’ve never been a proponent of doctors, and this has
changed my view because I’ve stumbled on to a group
of great doctors here,” Jeff said.
In all, Jeff believes his life changed for the better
due to his heart attack. He has a new proactive ap-
proach to his health and plans to maintain a healthy
lifestyle. He has a better understanding of the health
care system and how to navigate it, and he now feels
comfortable speaking up about the importance of
preventive care.
“I tell people not to be selfish, to stop putting off
doctor appointments,” he said. “The only true way to
prevent a heart attack is by preventive care. It’s just as
important for those who love you as it is for your own
health.”
S T A Y O N T O P O F Y O U R H E A R T
H E A L T H
Find a primary care provider
by calling our Appointment Center at
(208) 625-6767
. If you need a heart specialist, call
Kootenai Heart Clinics Northwest at
(208) 625-5250
.
A
Healthy
Perspective
A F T E R A H E A R T AT TA C K , J E F F C A LV E R T C H A N G E D T H E
WAY H E V I E W S H I S H E A LT H A N D H E A LT H C A R E
By Andrea Nagel
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