How close was Gary Rycroft to a heart attack?

Gary Rycroft was told by cardiologists that he was hours or days away from a massive, potentially fatal heart attack.

What caused Gary Rycroft's heart condition?

Gary Rycroft's main heart artery, the left anterior descending artery, was found to be "pretty much blocked," a condition that can lead to a heart attack.

What advice does Gary Rycroft give about chest pains?

Gary Rycroft strongly advises people not to wait as long as he did to get chest pains or any concerning symptoms checked out by a doctor.

Home / Health / Man narrowly missed fatal heart attack after surgery

Man narrowly missed fatal heart attack after surgery

28 Apr

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Summary

BBC star Gary Rycroft ignored chest pains, fearing he was just aging.
A cardiac CT scan revealed his main heart artery was nearly blocked.
Doctors stated he was hours away from a potentially fatal heart attack.

Man narrowly missed fatal heart attack after surgery

BBC Morning Live's legal expert, Gary Rycroft, shared his alarming experience of being mere hours from a potentially fatal heart attack. Initially dismissing chest pains as signs of aging, Rycroft began the Couch to 5k challenge. His GP initiated a diagnostic journey, including an ECG and a cardiac CT scan.

The CT scan revealed the critical left anterior descending artery was "pretty much blocked," an artery often called the "widow maker." This news, discovered a couple of weeks after the scan, caused significant distress for Rycroft and his family.