'Rowdy' Roddy Piper -- Dies at 61 from Cardiac Arrest

[cuznjohn]

http://www.tmz.com/2015/07/31/roddy-...estler-cancer/

[wyliec]

One of my favorite bad guys.

[vided]

A good bad guy. R I P

[Bob Denman]

Was he the guy, who wore the ski masks?
(I never followed this form of entertainment)
61 is too young... R.I.P.

[mowin]

Was never a wrestling fan, but I agree with Bob. 61 is too young. RIP.

[wyliec]

Was he the guy, who wore the ski masks?
(I never followed this form of entertainment)
61 is too young... R.I.P.

He wore a kilt.

[Mexican]

I liked that guy, RIP!

[sidecars]

I didn't really watch wrestling, but that guy got my attention! rip

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

he was a good wrestler, a great character & his role in THEY LIVE is a classic.

[Mcubed45]

That a lot of the veterans of that "sport" die young. Probably from too many steroids and too much abuse to their bodies.

[mxz600]

One year older than myself. Yes, way to young to die. RIP

PED's possibly?

[Chupaca]

but he was an amazing athelete and acrobat. The sport takes a toll but always sad to see someone like him pass away at such an early time in their lives..RIP and 's to his family and friends.....

[ARtraveler]

61 is way to young to pass on. RIP.

[wyliec]

One year older than myself. Yes, way to young to die. RIP

PED's possibly?

Maybe. There have been others in the last 10 years that have died ay an early age.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Let this be a reminder to all you guys and gals out there - NEVER IGNORE CHEST PAINS! There was nothing in the article about any symptoms he may have had before the fateful night, but I'd be willing to bet he had chest pains in the hours, or maybe off and on for a few days, before he died from cardiac arrest. I asked my doc a couple of years ago how do you tell the difference between angina pain and heartburn. His answer? YOU CAN'T! The only way to differentiate between them is the one occurs after physical activity and the other after eating.

In 2009 I had mild pains in my right shoulder area. Doc did an EKG, then later a nuclear stress test. That afternoon I was in the cath lab getting a stent in a 90% blockage, and balloon therapy for a 70% blockage, and discovering a third 60% blockage. Three years later I had a similar pain episode and the earlier partial blockage had to be stented. My youngest brother just this week had chest pains for a second time in two weeks. At the ER they determined he had suffered a mild heart attack, quite possible both times. The next morning the cardio put a stent in one 70% blockage and there were no other blockages. He suffered minor heart muscle damage from just one 70% blockage, probably due to vigorous physical activity. He had ONE 70% blockage but the doc said that was enough to make him a walking heart attack waiting to happen, quite possibly within a week.

The old adage of a heart attack is evidenced by left side and arm pain is bogus. The pain can be anywhere in the chest. And for women, it can be felt as back pain. Feel chest pain, be macho and tough it out, and you could very well end up dead.

On the other hand maybe Piper had sleep apnea that he refused to have diagnosed and treated. With obstructive sleep apnea you stop breathing and your blood oxygen level drops. If it drops below about 70% you're a goner.

To ignore chest pains or sleep problems is to court premature death. Stupid!

[wyliec]

Let this be a reminder to all you guys and gals out there - NEVER IGNORE CHEST PAINS!

Don't you think yearly check ups help, rather than wait for chest pains?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Don't you think yearly check ups help, rather than wait for chest pains?

Yes, but does your doctor do an angiogram every year to see how much blockage might be developing in your heart arteries? Does he?

[wyliec]

Yes, but does your doctor do an angiogram every year to see how much blockage might be developing in your heart arteries? Does he?

There are other markers to check, and there are also non-invasive tests. I was going to an MDVIP doctor that offered this:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...=eml_cleartime

You may consider yourself proactive because you say, if you have chest pains, check it out immediately. I, myself, consider that reactive. My primary care physician was part of the MDVIP group, and offered the inflammation testing. I don't remember if it was $300 or $400, or may be less. I don't go to him anymore. But, it seems to me anyone that has already had blockages, it's worth the extra dollars per year.

By the way, I paid $1600 per year for what may be called the privilege of concierge medicine. In my case, since I have nothing physically wrong, it was not worth it for me. That $1600 got you one detailed, in depth yearly check up, and you could get to see the dr. with no waiting, usually the same day. However, you still needed insurance.

[Bob Denman]

[wyliec]

Arnold also has had a few blockages.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

There are other markers to check, and there are also non-invasive tests. I was going to an MDVIP doctor that offered this:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...=eml_cleartime

You may consider yourself proactive because you say, if you have chest pains, check it out immediately. I, myself, consider that reactive.

It is reactive. Failure to react is why a lot of folks die needlessly.

My cardio did a blood test on me a couple of times after my second stent that required sending the sample to Mayo for testing. I think it may have been an inflammation marker, but don't recall. He decided it wasn't all that reliably beneficial so didn't do any more.

When I had my first stent my GP was shaken to his boots. He said I had done everything right by current medical standards, keeping my cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose in check. I went in for a checkup 3 times a year. And yet I had to have a stent. I think it truly shook his faith in current medical thinking. The same things were still in check when I had to have the second stent. My brother was a pilot for Southwest for 19 years after being a Navy jet jockey and officer for 21 years. As a pilot he had a physical twice a year and everything was monitored. Yet, his episode occurred just over a year after he retired. He was physically active and exercised regularly this past year. My oldest brother had a clear carotid artery when he had a heart attack and required a triple bypass. Family history is a trustworthy indicator of the vulnerability to a heart attack.

Even being proactive, as you rightly advocate, is no guarantee of catching the development of a heart artery blockage. Often, the last, and only, absolute indicator of trouble is chest pains. That then demands immediate reactive response.

An interesting impact of a heart attack is it can screw up your mental processes. A guy at work several years ago had chest pains about 2 am. As he was standing at the sink taking antacids he thought about going to ER, only a couple of blocks away. But if it was only heartburn he would have to pay a $50 copay, so was debating if he wanted to risk a $50 fee. Ultimately he went, and ended up with a triple bypass. To a rational thinker the choice was a no-brainer, but he wasn't thinking rationally because of the effects of the cardiac event.