Celebrity News February 06, 2019
Soap Opera Star Susan Lucci Underwent Emergency Heart Surgery
Getty
“All My Children” legend Susan Lucci is opening up about her recent health emergency.
In October, Lucci was shopping in Long Island when she felt like she couldn't breathe. She told People magazine, “It felt like an elephant pressing down on my chest.”
Once the 72-year-old arrived at an ER, she met with her husband's cardiologist, Dr. Shlofmitz. It was revealed that she had 90% percent blockage in her heart's main artery and 70% blockage in another branch. She said, “Ninety percent blockage — I was shocked.”
Shlofmitz performed a heart procedure, inserting two stents into her arteries to improve blood flow to the heart. The surgery was a success, with Shlofmitz noting, “She has no damage. Her heart is pumping as good as when she was born.”
Lucci emphasized, “I'm lucky to be alive.”
Susan's cardiologist Holly Andersen shared, “Had she gone home, that 90 percent blockage could have become 100 percent and she could have suffered a significant heart attack or even sudden death.”
Lucci is hoping to raise awareness for heart disease. She said, “This is the way I can help. I can tell my story. Everyone's symptoms are different but I felt compelled to share mine. Even if it's one person I help. That is someone's life.”
