Patient Urges Others to have Calcium Test After Experiencing how Genetic Predispositions can Overcome Healthy Habits

Jay Vastine did everything he was supposed to do to have a healthy heart. He exercised regularly. He got plenty of cardio. He even arranged to get a calcium test, just to be sure. But he didn’t end up having that test – because despite all his efforts, he had a heart attack first.

When he first noticed his chest was feeling tight, he thought he was just feeling the effects of his workout. “I’m constantly in and out of the gym,” he said. “Two days before I had the heart attack, I did legs, 30 minutes of cardio, then chest, and 30 more minutes of cardio.”

That evening, though, the pain had shot through his chest to his back and his left shoulder.

By the time he made it to the Emergency Room, he knew what was happening.

Jay ended up needing open-heart surgery because of the amount of blockage in his arteries. That was a surprise, considering how diligently he had taken care of his physical health. However, he was struggling against something no amount of healthy habits could change: Genetics.

There’s a long history of heart issues in Jay’s family, which is part of why he wanted to have a calcium test in the first place. For example, both of his parents had heart attacks. Although he wasn’t able to have the testing completed before experiencing a heart attack of his own, the rest of his family has since completed calcium tests. One of his siblings, his sister Kristi, even ended up needing a stent.

“After Jay had his heart attack, they suggested all the siblings have the calcium test,” she recalled. “Honestly, I wasn’t worried at all, but my brothers and sisters didn’t really want to take it so I thought I’d do it and show them how easy it is. It’s always a competition with us.”

Kristi’s actions did end up spurring the rest of her family to act, but not because she showed them how easy it was. She said it was her results that made the biggest impact: Her “widowmaker” – an artery that can lead to fatal heart attacks – was 90% blocked.

“It kind of scared us at that point,” she said.

For Kristi, the calcium test saved her from a heart attack. Jay believes, if he’d been able to get his test completed in time, it may have done the same for him.

“I’m so passionate about getting people to go get the calcium test because I think if I’d had it earlier, maybe I wouldn’t have had to have open heart surgery,” he said.

Nonetheless, Jay’s procedure went well, and he left SOMC feeling like there’s no reason for anyone to go anywhere else.

“It was hard, but the staff at SOMC was wonderful. The staff alone helped tremendously.

Those nurses really care, and they got me up and moving,” he said, adding “And of course, I walked the whole hallway the first time I got up because I was bound and determined to prove that I could do it.”

Today, that same determination has Jay back in the gym. And though he’s promised his doctors he’ll take it slow, he’s also promised himself he will get back to where he was. And if there’s one thing Jay’s already proven, it’s that he doesn’t let anything – not even his genes – determine the kind of life he’ll have.

Jay and Kristi Vastine both encourage others to have calcium tests so they can identify potential heart issues before it’s too late. To receive a calcium scoring test, please talk to your provider. Testing costs $100. For more information, call 740-356-8128.