Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 28, 1995 TAG: 9511280076
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: COLETTE BOUCHEZ NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The cause of death: a massive heart attack that struck the seemingly healthy 28-year-old without warning, killing him instantly.
``It appeared to be caused by a blood clot that was located in such an area that he almost didn't stand a chance,'' said Dr. Holly Anderson, a cardiologist at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.
Grinkov's death also left its mark on many young adults, especially athletes.
The question on everyone's mind: Could this happen to me? The frightening answer: Yes. Experts say everyone potentially is at risk.
``What apparently killed Sergei was the same type of heart disease that kills everyone else - atherosclerosis,'' said Anderson.
Indeed, unlike other famous athletes who succumbed to sudden cardiac death due to rare, inborn structural heart defects - most notably basketball stars Reggie Lewis and Hank Gathers - Grinkov died of ordinary cardiac disease.
The only thing that set him apart from others, say experts, was that his cardiovascular disease began silently, while he was still a child.
``While it doesn't often happen that a very young child will develop arterial disease, it does occur, and often without a clue that anything is going wrong until after a heart attack occurs,'' said Dr. Tom Stark, a pediatric cardiologist at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.
According to the American Heart Association, up to 50 percent of sudden cardiac deaths occur without any previous symptoms or knowledge.
So, should young athletes - or any young adult - be concerned about premature heart disease, or even sudden death? Experts say, generally, no. However, what should serve as a red flag is a strong family history of disease.
``If your father, mother or your siblings had heart disease, especially if they died of a heart attack before age 50, then you definitely are at greater risk,'' said Anderson.
Grinkov's father reportedly died of a heart attack at 40. The skater himself had high blood pressure, which has been linked to heart disease.
For those who do find themselves at risk, experts say it's worth talking to your doctor about some cardiac exams to assess your condition.
That might include a stress test, an echo-cardiogram, or an angiogram, which is an internal look at blood vessels.
For the average person, however, doctors say the best defense is routine blood pressure checkups and cholesterol screenings, beginning as early as age 3. ``While not every person who has high blood pressure or high cholesterol will go on to have a heart attack, if it does occur in a young person, further investigation is needed,'' said Stark.
Other risk factors are obesity, diabetes, smoking and drug or alcohol abuse. ``If you have either a family history of early cardiac death, or two or more of the risk factors, you need to talk to your doctor regardless of your age,'' said Dr. Alan Guerci, director of cardiac research at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, N.Y.
Also important, he said, is to listen to your body for signs of impending heart attack.
Those symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain - especially if it radiates to the jaw, and/or down the left arm for men or down either arm for women - back pain and dizziness during or after exertion.
by CNB