Quick action averts 'catastrophe'

A retired biology teacher who survived a heart attack after quickly seeking help is urging people not to ignore the warning signs.

Greg Stafford, 73, developed chest pains after driving from Melbourne to his holiday home at Jan Juc on Victoria's southern coast in November 2022.

"It is a trip I often make by myself, and I felt fine in the car until I got to Jan Juc," he said.

"I pulled into the driveway, and I felt terrible. I had a bit of a cold sweat, but there was no real agony or pain. I just felt abnormal."

When the feeling did not subside, Mr Stafford knew he had to do something and drove to the closest medical clinic.

"The doctor did an ECG and said there was an abnormality, so they called an ambulance and I was soon on the way to Epworth Geelong," he said.

"As soon as I arrived at the hospital there was a cardiac team ready to meet me and I was pretty pale on admission.

"It was all pretty quick.

"Within an hour of arriving at Jan Juc, I was on the operating table in the catheterisation lab to clear the blockage in the artery leading to my heart and insert three stents."

Mr Stafford has since had another procedure to insert two more stents into cardiac arteries to improve blood flow to his heart.

"My cardiologist said because of my quick action and quick treatment, I have had minimal damage to the heart muscle," he said.

Dr Thomas Yip, an interventional cardiologist at Epworth Geelong, said the outcome could have been catastrophic if Mr Stafford had not taken such prompt action.

"It was such a major coronary artery that was blocked that if Greg had not acted fast enough, it could have resulted in a large area of permanent damage to the heart or be potentially fatal," Dr Yip said.

After his initial treatment, Mr Stafford had six weeks of cardiac rehabilitation.

"It was a mix of theory on heart health and the do's and don'ts, and gym work on the treadmill and lifting weights, which was quite a workout," he said.

Mr Stafford, who is planning an overseas bike-riding holiday to celebrate his recovery, was surprised so many arteries were blocked.

"I've never smoked, don't eat much junk food and I thought I was reasonably fit," he said.

"I was playing golf two to three times a week, and my wife and I regularly ride 25 kilometres on our bikes in Melbourne and at Jan Juc."

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