Taiwanese TV host Blackie Chen is recovering after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday (Sept 15).
The 49-year-old felt a sudden tightness in his chest while watching the training of Taiwanese professional basketball players.
He was rushed to the National Taiwan University Hospital, reported Taiwan’s Mirror Media.
There, he was found to be suffering from myocardial infarction — more commonly known as a heart attack — and underwent surgery immediately.
His condition has since stabilised.
Blackie’s artery was 90 per cent blocked, his wife Christine Fan told Next Apple News.
He had no known history of heart problems.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Blackie reassured fans that he was doing fine and thanked everyone for their concern, adding a special shout out to National Taiwan University Hospital for its “professional and prompt” treatment.
Symptoms of a heart attack
A heart attack occurs when there is a sudden, complete obstruction of blood flow in the coronary artery, according to SingHealth.
The part of the heart muscle not receiving blood would be at risk of injury or damage, and eventually, scar tissues would replace parts of the heart muscle which have died due to the lack of blood flow.
A heart attack is a serious condition requiring emergency treatment — usually involving blood-thinning medication and coronary angioplasty to quickly remove the blockage in the affected coronary artery to allow blood flow.
Coronary artery bypass surgery, an open heart surgery, may be required in some cases.
Symptoms of a heart attack include severe central chest pain, typically described as a heavy or crushing sensation. The pain may also spread to the arms and jaw, and is usually accompanied by nausea, sweating and apprehension.
Other common signs include sudden shortness of breath, dizziness, light-headedness, fast or irregular heartbeat, chest pain or discomfort in jaw, arms, back or throat, and when at rest or with minimal exercise lasting more than 15 minutes.
25 per cent of heart attacks are clinically silent, SingHealth noted.
Women are more likely than men to experience atypical symptoms, such as discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back or stomach, nausea or vomitting, feeling faint or dizzy and shortness of breath.
Heartburn or indigestion, fatigue, coughing and heart ‘flutters’ are also warning signs women may be more likely to experience.
SingHealth recommends regular health screening to help detect any risks of a heart attack, in addition to adopting a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, adopting a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, managing stress and quitting smoking.
More information can be found on SingHealth’s website.
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carol.ong@asiaone.com
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