[Dan in Pasadena]

My dad had a massive heart attack at age 45. They wanted to give him the last rites, etc. Mom wouldn't let them because she felt it would only scare him, bring him no comfort. This was in about 1970; right before bypass surgery, transplants and block disolving drugs. He lived another 20 years with numerous additional cardiac events. He was a heavy smoker but a construction worker in ripped muscular condition...his heart was just shot. I must have my mother's genes. I am now 53, a bit overweight and too sedentary. Finally had the Heartcheck America scan when I turned 50 and I have ZERO plague in my arteries. But even in light of that? It provides no comfort. I just heard that Tim Russert had a stress EKG in late April this year and passed with flying colors!