Unfortunately the topic of heart disease is one I have been forced to look into more due to the recent and sudden death of my uncle Jack Byrne. I felt that it was appropriate to write a blog in his honor to help gain awareness for a condition that many do not know of and can be life threatening. Last Thursday after his sudden death, my family learned that my uncle had a heart condition known as a cardiomyopathy which is when “the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue” (“What is Cardiomyopathy?”). Andrew has taught us the differences between soft and hard points and I think this is a big part of my uncle’s story. We have yet to find out the true cause of death to this point because all the medical examiner was able to conclude was that he had this cardiomyopathy. This would be considered a soft point because it is something that can lead to a deadly symptom, but it is not actually the cause of death. For more information on the cardiomyopathy itself I have attached this link, but I would like the focus of this blog to be more on what hard points can result from this unusual soft point.
The main problem with a cardiomyopathy is that the normal circulation of blood flow weakens as compared to a heart without the issue. This can cause many problems down the road but not all that would have led to a sudden departure. There are three different types of cardiomyopathy, and although each come with different symptoms, it seems as if there are small likelihoods among each that sudden death would occur. Normal symptoms seems to include fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain but it baffles me that it may have lead to the death of my uncle (“Hypertrophic..”).
Cardiomyopathy is something that can go along with just being born, but it is also a condition that can be developed overtime. Links between this condition and alcohol seem very prevalent, and frankly that is a possibility for how my uncle may have gotten it. Due to this fact it is something that almost anyone who is not careful can risk happening to them.
Many always seem to forget that heart disease is still the number one killer in the world over cancer and even ebola! I believe it does not get as much attention because of the speed in which it kills its victims but this is why awareness needs to be raised. When symptoms arise, those that may be in danger need to take the necessary precautions and treatments to ensure that they are safe. Studies have shown that simply taking care of your body can decrease your chances dramatically of sudden heart disease which is yet another benefit of getting in shape. For all those out there that take days for granted, or do not go after the dreams they wish to accomplish remember how quickly those opportunities can be taken away from you. Scientists have worked endlessly to provide more and more information on conditions that can be life threatening so it is important to be aware of as many as possible so you can do what you can to avoid them.
A final tribute to my uncle John Patrick (Jack) Byrne…he was a great man that was loved by many who’s life was unfortunately cut short. Let us learn from Jack and trust in the scientific method, those around us, and even yourselves to find out more about deadly conditions and rid them from our society. I love you Uncle Jack.
Works Cited
“Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – Symptoms, Tests, Treatments.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy>.
“What Is Cardiomyopathy?.” – NHLBI, NIH. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cm/>.