I survived my “widow maker” heart attack; other officers could be spared by early screening

When I joined the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office 19 years ago, any concerns I had about my personal safety did not include a heart attack. That was a mistake.

Police officers are 25 times more likely to die of a heart attack than to be killed by a suspect, and the average age for that heart attack is 46 years old, according to medical and law enforcement experts.

I was 47 when I had my heart attack. I was in shape; I worked out and jogged. But shift work meant long and inconsistent hours. I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I ate too much fast food while working. Grappling with PTSD, I drank too much when I was off duty.

The result? A 100% blockage in my left anterior descending artery and an 80% blockage in my left marginal artery. After suffering heart failure, the doctors and nurses were able to bring me back to life by performing three minutes of CPR, making me one of the few people to survive what is known as a “widow maker” heart attack.

If I had been fortunate enough to get a cardiac screening in the few years leading up to my heart attack, I would have known about the blockages, and I could have taken proactive steps to get healthier.

That’s why I’m urging the state legislature to pass House Bill 1219 this year, which would establish a Public Safety Cardiac Screening Trust to fund cardiovascular screenings for peace officers as well as other preventative health screenings as practicable. Sponsored by House Speaker Julie Mccluskie, Ddillon, and state Rep. Mike Lynch, R-wellington, this program is similar to one created 10 years ago for firefighters, which uses a trust to fund their benefits for heart and circulatory malfunctions. This current bill also extends that coverage of firefighter benefits to part-time and volunteer firefighters.

Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of line-of-duty fatalities among U.S. firefighters nearly every year. Police officers’ risk of sudden cardiac death is 30 to 70 times higher when they are involved in stressful situations — restraining suspects, chases, altercations — than when they’re involved in routine activities. Yet, cardiac screenings are typically not covered by health insurers either before or after a cardiac event. When I needed to get a followup screening after my heart attack, my insurance would not cover it (I was fortunate that the VA did, however).

Studies show police officers have one of the poorest cardiovascular disease health profiles of any occupation. While the average age of Americans who die from heart attacks is 65, for police officers that number is 49. And the average life expectancy of a police officer in the United States is 22 years less than non-officers.

The reasons for these grim statistics are multi-faceted and include everything from high psychological stress stemming from traumatic events, unpredictable work and sleep schedules, high caseloads, poor eating habits while at work, and long periods of being sedentary. Many experts also point to the unique nature of police stress patterns: extended periods of routine — even monotonous — work that is suddenly disrupted by events which significantly spike adrenaline and require intense physical and psychological responses that can overload the cardiovascular system.

I personally have seen how well cardiac screenings work. When I returned to work after my heart attack, the sheriff’s office started to offer heart screenings. Five officers found out they had at least 60% blockages and have since taken steps to get their condition under control before it was too late.

Please ask your legislators to support HB-1219. It will save lives.