‘You can’t outrun this’: How man’s near-death experience can change your next appointment at the doctor – MDJOnline.com

In December of 2010, Scott Webb headed to his basement for a work out part of his daily routine. While on the treadmill, Webb started to feel pressure and heaviness around his chest mixed with overwhelming nausea. As he reached down to press the stop button on the treadmill, he passed out.

The next thing I know, I woke up on the floor. I had hit my head and was on the floor for about an hour. I somehow made it upstairs to tell my wife we had to go to the hospital.

That chilling moment changed his life forever. Webb, a Canton resident, described himself as being in the best shape of his life, an active runner who not only ran several miles per week but also participated in the Peachtree Road Race for 25 years. And yet, he was in the emergency room undergoing an echocardiogram on his heart and a nuclear stress test to see if the doctors were right about what they suspected.

The diagnosis was shocking. The doctors informed him that more than likely the fall to the ground restarted his heart. Webb had a 99% blockage in one of his arteries and needed a stent a tiny wire mesh tube that opens the artery and reduces the chances of having a heart attack.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 95 million U.S. adults age 20 or older have cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL which is considered to be borderline highcould put them at risk of heart disease, and nearly 29 million adult Americans have total cholesterol levels higher than 240 mg/dL3 which is considered to be high and could lead to strokes and other cardiovascular diseases.

The CDC also states high cholesterol has no symptoms, so many people dont know their cholesterol is too high. It is imperative to get your levels checked as often as possible.

It was incredulous that I could be in this situation, Webb said . That I had a blockage, that I almost had a heart attack was really hard to believe.

Webb has a family history of high cholesterol. His body is a natural producer of the waxy substance. And doctors believe most of his blockage can be blamed on heredity.

His near-death experience prompted a change of lifestyle. Webb, a husband and father of two, said he didnt go to the doctors that often to get his cholesterol checked. He does now. He takes his medication consistently, and he now eats fried food in moderation.

You cant outrun this, he urges. You need to make sure this is addressed. You need to make sure you go and see your doctor and make sure you understand your numbers and follow the doctors advice with medications and diet.

For anyone suffering from high cholesterol or having a history of it in the family, Webb's advice is simple.

What I have learned through this is you have to make sure you share with your doctor your family history, said Webb. They have to know what has gone on with your parents, siblings and grandparents. This is really a life or death situation and you have to follow the recommended path that the doctor puts in front of you.

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As a senior director at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Scott Webb has had no issues or concerns since his scare nine years ago. He has been with the company for 28 years and leads the Customer Solutions Center for North America and Latin America.

On Nov. 2 Webb, along with another vice president at his company, will be leading a number of teams at the Northwest Georgia Heart Walk and 5K Heart Run in downtown Marietta.

So far 150 people (from his company) are participating in the run and walk. We are leading teams, exercising and raising funds for research to prevent life-threatening things when it comes to heart disease and strokes, Webb said.

Webb said the employees at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise are striving to raise $10,000 this year. His company will also match their contribution.

The Northwest Georgia Heart Walk and 5K Heart Run will be Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8 a.m. in Marietta Square. Nearly 1 million people walk each year to help cure heart disease and stroke. The Heart Walk and Run is among 300 events being held in communities across the nation. Individuals and teams can register online atwww.metroatlantaheartwalk.org.

I am extremely proud, said Webb. I think humble at the same time yet very thankful that I am in this position. If this could impact even one persons life to go to the doctor and change their future because of this its worth it."

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'You can't outrun this': How man's near-death experience can change your next appointment at the doctor - MDJOnline.com