Silent heart attack victim speaks

BEWARE: Ken Rodgers, 82, of Masterton, has offered a warning to others over silent heart attacks. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A retired Masterton man who suffered multiple silent heart attacks felt no pain and only found out he had had them by chance.

About 10 years ago former bookshop owner and nurseryman Ken Rodgers went to the doctor to have a check-up for skin cancer.

He had worked outside in the past as a fencer and shearer so had sun spots on his back.

The doctor decided to take a blood test.

Back at his home in Te Ore Ore that night Mr Rodgers received a "vague" phone call saying he should go to hospital.

He left his house lights on and his dog and cat inside as he thought he would be home later that night.

At the hospital they did an electrocardiogram (ECG) and found "quite a few dots" that represented heart attacks he had had in the past.

Silent, or atypical, heart attacks are attacks without the typical symptoms, and are rare.

Initially, Mr Rodgers "thought it was a balls up".

"It's a bit of a shock for someone to give you news like that and I have never had a great illness in my life. I've never had anything wrong with me."

Mr Rodgers said the heart attacks may have occurred when he "thought it was a bout of the flu and would take a couple of aspirins and go to bed".

The next day, in Wairarapa Hospital, he told a nurse he was going to get something out of his ute but instead sneaked home to put his pets into kennels.

He remained in hospital for about four or five days.

"Most people who have heart attacks have tremendous pain. I had no pain or anything," he said.

A while later Mr Rodgers had a triple bypass at Wellington Hospital.

Surgeons took veins out of his legs to put in his heart during an operation.

"The treatment I received after they managed to get the diagnosis right really swept me off my feet. I didn't know where I was going to land."

Mr Rodgers, now 82, said it was "just a fluke that they found out" about the heart attacks.

"It was a bit of a bloody shock. I've always been fit and healthy."

He does not know what caused the heart attacks and had no hereditary problems.

"A lot of people, like myself, are fit and healthy and don't know they have anything wrong with them. Perhaps I could do some good by telling people there is such a thing as a silent heart attack."

Medical Director of the Heart Foundation and cardiologist Gerry Devlin said typical symptoms of a heart attack, such as chest pain, do not occur in atypical heart attacks.

He said some people may "just feel something's not right but can't put their finger on it".

Women are more prone to atypical symptoms than men, as are older people and diabetics.

Dr Devlin advises all middle-aged people to have a cardiovascular risk assessment with a doctor. "You should know what your risk is and have a conversation with your GP about what you can do to reduce your risk."

He said it is important to be active, "regardless of what your risk is".

"Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, six days a week, if possible. If not possible, any exercise is better than none."

He said although atypical heart attacks do happen, they are not common.