1) Prior to Heart Failure, I was a long-distance runner for 48 years. I enjoyed the outdoor runs, the notoriety, and the stress reduction it afforded me.

My third day in Intensive Care, four of the six cardiologists who cared for me gathered around my bed to tell me I was responding very well. One cardiologist (who was a marathoner) told me point blank that I would never run again because my heart would not withstand it due to the damage of my Left Ventricle. He said that I could walk and/or jog, but that if I wanted to live, I had to give up something. That something was the thing that gave me personal satisfaction, that allowed me to eat anything I wanted, that helped my body be healthy and helped control my personal and business stressors: running.

Obviously, my diet changed considerably with decreased sodium, sugar, and starches.
The necessity to take four medicines every day changed my breakfast routine and my mental outlook on medicines. I’d never needed to take any long-term medicines during my previous 64 years!

And lastly, my stress needed to be reduced; that entailed cutting back my workload by 67% to 3 – 5 hour days per week.

All of that changed my life.

2) The other statistics.

• Yes, there are over 550,000 heart failure events yearly.
• The average age is 64.5 years old.
• Average life expectancy after Heart Failure is 7 years.
• Survival rates following Heart Failure are 90% at 1 year, 60% at 5 years and 27% at 10 years.
• Most Heart Failure events require CPR or, better yet, electrical defibrillation.
• Heart failure accounted for 45% of cardiovascular deaths in the US in 2021.
• Between ages 60 and 75 men and women’s rate of events are about equal. Before 60 years of age, men have three times as many Heart Failure events. After 75 years of age, women have more Heart Failure events.
• 28% of people who died from Heart Failure also had diabetes.
• 16% of people who died from Heart Failure deaths also had COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
• A common monitor of Heart Failure progress is the Left Ventricular Effusion Fraction, (EF). The EF should be 50 to 70%. Below 41% medical (specifically cardiological) care is recommended.
• According to Medical News Today, Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) often results in heart attack or stroke while Ventricular Fibrillation (V-fib) is typically more serious.
• Heart Failure is additionally broken down into Systolic (when the heart pumps blood into the arteries) versus Diastolic (when the heart is at rest and between heartbeats) Heart Failure.

I hope these statistics are helpful and the questions asked have been answered.

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Any questions sent to this blog will be addressed the following week when possible. I may not always have an answer, but I will offer the most holistic and natural response I can.

Lastly, if anything you read proves to be helpful to you (or someone you care about) I ask you to send $19 (or $20) to :
Dr Mark Fullerton
c/o Edward Jones
9271 Reidville Rd Greer, SC 29651.

This is my way of leaving something for my family and loved ones when I do pass.

Next Time - Hygiene and Heart Failure Prevention