Seeking a Second Opinion on a Heart Blockage: Ms. Yeany’s Story

Ms. Yeany is known in her family as someone who is always on the go. “Mom is an active person; she can't sit still,” says her daughter, who tells her mother's story in this video. That is why the family was quite surprised when, later in life, Ms. Yeany began to have heart symptoms.

The First Symptoms

One day, Ms. Yeany's blood pressure suddenly rose to 190/110, and she easily became short of breath during activity. She went to see a cardiologist. A treadmill test was attempted, but vertigo made it too hard for her, so she had a CT scan instead. The result showed calcification, or blockage, in her heart arteries, with an estimated narrowing of 30 to 60 percent.

The family was worried because Ms. Yeany had never been hospitalized before. She even refused a catheter procedure at first because she was afraid. Amid this uncertainty, the family wanted to be sure that the next step was the right one for her condition.

Seeking a Second Opinion

With help from their insurance agent, the family looked for a second opinion, the view of another doctor before deciding on a procedure. Ms. Yeany's daughter searched online and remembered Heartology, which she had often seen on social media. In her view, the hospital was good and the location was easy for the family to reach. One thing that made it easier was a Zoom consultation with the doctor before coming to the hospital.

The explanation from the cardiologist at Heartology left an impression on the family. Her daughter described it as remarkable, and the family felt more confident about moving on to the next examination.

Undergoing the Catheter Examination

Ms. Yeany then had a catheter examination at Heartology. In this test, a thin tube is passed through a blood vessel to look directly at the heart arteries. The fear that had made her refuse before gradually eased. “Mom felt very comfortable inside because they prayed together with her and calmed her down, and she said the nurses were friendly too,” her daughter shared.

In the end, Ms. Yeany did not have a stent placed, an answer the family may not have expected. For her family, the experience taught an important lesson: what matters is not how quickly a procedure is done, but making sure the procedure is truly needed. A week later, Ms. Yeany came back for her follow-up visit in good health. At the time of filming, she was already keen to eat out and go travelling again, back to her usual active self.

From this experience, Ms. Yeany's daughter encourages anyone who is unsure about a planned procedure not to hesitate to seek a second opinion before deciding.