A person’s heart disease risk is affected by both environment and genetics, explains Pankaj Arora MD, assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A preventative lifestyle can still reduce the risk of a heart attack and is highly recommended, but it offers no guarantees—as Bob Harper’s situation clearly indicates. He also does plenty of charity work, recently teaming-up with BRILINTA, a prescription drug for heart attack treatment to spread awareness of heart attacks, which is one of the deadliest … “Even if you are born with a high genetic risk, your risk of having an event goes down if you keep up a good physical exercise routine,” he says. Getty Images, 'Biggest Loser' Trainer Bob Harper’s Heart Attack: Why It Can Happen to Anyone. Warren Wexelman, a cardiologist with the NYU Langone School of Medicine and Medical Center… But how much that risk is elevated depends on a lot of different genes, says Dr. Arora, not just one or two—so inherited risk is difficult to test for. RELATED: 11 Heart Failure Facts Cardiologists Want You to Know. “Physical exercise, study after study, has shown to improve cardiovascular health and prolong your life, and that has not changed.”, Credit: It always makes sense to get clearance from your doctor before you start a new exercise routine, says Dr. Arora, and to know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels—especially if you’re over 35, when these invisible risk factors can start to creep up. To cut your chance of having heart disease, you can manage your blood pressure, control cholesterol, be active, eat healthy, lose excess weight, and quit smoking.Â. We’re glad to see Harper’s doing better, and we wish him a speedy recovery.Â. Health.com may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Although the specifics of his experience haven’t been shared, we do know one thing: It’s an important reminder that even people with no obvious risk factors can still have underlying heart disease or problems. Here are the ones you need to pay attention to, and how to know if you may have an anxiety disorder. In his latest book, The Super Carb Diet: Shed Pounds, Build … On Monday night, he shared a photo of himself, writing, “I am feeling better. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. The study found that for a healthy man in his 50s, without diabetes, … "I was in full cardiac arrest. As a trainer and host of NBC’s hit show The Biggest Loser, Bob Harper seems to be the picture of health. Health.com is part of the Meredith Health Group. We're loving their inspirational, body-positive messages. The heart attack prompted Harper to switch up his workouts, adopt the Mediterranean diet, and start taking Brilinta, a medication that lowers his chances of having another heart attack. So there were definitely signs that something was wrong, but I chose not to listen,” he says. “I’m required to wear these monitors to see what my heart is doing throughout the day,” he explains, thanking his followers again for their kind words.Â, It can be surprising to learn that a health and fitness professional has had a heart attack. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. He’s been closely working his way back to health, … Biggest Loser trainer and TODAY show health contributor Bob Harper, 52, suffered a near-fatal heart attack in February 2017. Bob Harper is recovering from a heart attack. … But for the 17th and final season on the NBC network, Bob … “Some people’s hearts are more prone to dangerous heart rhythms due to structural or electrical heart abnormalities, regardless of whether their heart has blockages that might cause a heart attack,” says James Beckerman, MD, a cardiologist in Portland, OR.Â. Harper has teamed up with the awareness and advocacy cause Survivors Have Heart (supported by AstraZeneca), which helps educate other heart attack survivors on the importance of staying committed to the treatment prescribed by their doctor. (Harper told People magazine that heart problems run in his family, and that his mother died of a heart attack.) Harper believes managing stress may make these treatments more effective. Is Your Doctor Gaslighting You? Bob Harper now knows what led to his near-fatal heart attack on Feb. 12: He has high levels of a particle in his blood called Lipoprotein(a), which is a hereditary condition. Bob Harper, 51, started out as a trainer when The Biggest Loser aired on NBC. Since his heart attack, Harper’s not only made some serious changes to his already-healthy lifestyle, like his post-heart attack diet and modified exercise routine, but he’s also adamant … Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter. However, after reports that the 51-year-old recently had a serious heart attack, he took to Instagram to update his followers. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. 10 Tips for Living With Atrial Fibrillation, Unexpected Heart Attack Triggers You Should Know. Lipoprotein (a) – The Sneaky Heart Danger. Biggest Loser host and personal trainer Bob Harper is recovering from a heart attack that left him unconscious for two days, People reported today. Harper was in a medically induced coma for two days and had two stents placed in his coronary arteries to prevent another heart attack. Now that Harper … All rights reserved. On the Mediterranean diet, you should limit added sugars, refined carbs, and saturated fats from animal products, but you can enjoy some low-fat dairy, as well as a moderate amount of red wine! Here's What to Do, 9 Signs It's More Serious Than the Common Cold, How Your Period Changes During Your 20s, 30s, and 40s, 12 Anxiety Symptoms That Might Point to a Disorder, Shannen Doherty Reveals Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis—Here's What It Means, The Best (and Worst) Diets of 2020, According to Experts, 10 Moves for a Cardio Workout at Home—No Equipment Required, These 13 Women Prove Every Body Is a Bikini Body, 20 Things You Should Throw Away for Better Health, 8 Causes of Chest Pain That Aren't a Heart Attack, 11 Heart Failure Facts Cardiologists Want You to Know. He was saved by a bystander who administered CPR and a team of … Biggest Loser host and personal trainer Bob Harper is recovering from a heart attack that left him unconscious for two days, People reported today. Offers may be subject to change without notice. But on the day that he should have died, he had the good fortune to have been using a treadmill that was near a cardiologist who used the gym’s defibrillator to zap Bob … Yes, and genetics can play a role. All rights reserved. Learn why Bob Harper's heart attack wasn't caused by genetics, high cholesterol, or lipoprotein(a) and why it has everything to do with his thyroid. You'll also get unsaturated fats from sources like olive oil, fish oil, nuts, and seeds, which can keep cholesterol levels in check. It's also not generally covered by insurance, and many doctors worry that test results that indicate "bad genes" could cause patients to lose hope about their heart health and give up on healthy behaviors. He has revealed in an interview with Maria Shriver that his mother died from a heart attack. In February 2017, Bob Harper, the famous personal trainer from “The Biggest Loser” suffered what should have been a fatal heart attack. “It feels good to be cared about,” he says. Stay in your living room and still spike your heart rate. But last year, when he had a heart attack at 51, that was a big wake up call. Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. The Biggest Loser star Bob Harper suffered a major heart attack during the four-years this weight-loss show was off the air. From easier cramps to a heavier flow, here's a guide on what to expect decade by decade. (Dr. Arora has not treated Harper.) The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. By Bob Harper It's been nearly a year since fitness expert Bob Harper suffered a sudden heart attack — a shock to him, his fans and even doctors. “About six weeks prior to my heart attack, I actually fainted in the gym. ... “RESULTS: After levothyroxine treatment, the mean concentration of thyrotropin decreased from 91.4 to 3.7 microIU/mL, and free thyroxine increased from 0.5 to 1.2 ng/ dL. It is now known that Harper … "I'm petrified," the actress said when she shared the news that her breast cancer came back. Here's why a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis can be so frightening. Earlier this week, we learned that celebrity fitness trainer Bob Harper suffered a heart attack, which landed him in the hospital for an eight-night … Leading up to his heart attack, Harper says he hadn’t experienced any of the common warning signs, such as chest pain, numbness, or headaches, though he did feel dizzy at times. But last February, Mr. Harper, 52, suffered a massive heart attack at a New York City gym and went into cardiac arrest. “If their mother or father was healthy and still had a heart attack, it is conceivable that one can consider genetic testing to determine genetic risk,” he says. The fitness celeb reportedly collapsed two weeks ago while working out at the gym, and was recently released from the hospital after an eight-day stay. How to handle a physician who doubts or dismisses your symptoms. “Genetics account for about 20% of our risk of heart disease, while the bulk of our risk is based on our lifestyle,” Beckerman says. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments. Be so frightening his recovery, Harper says on Instagram that he ’ s following a Mediterranean-style diet on! 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