While teaching a fitness class, she had a massive heart attack

This is a news story recounting the experience of Ratona Harr, a 44 year old woman who had a heart attack in the midst of teaching a fitness class. It follows her from when symptoms first began, to when she called 911, to the hospital, to recovery. Including quotes from both Harr and her doctors as well as pictures of Harr and the tattoos she got after the incident, the article gives a personal account of what it is like to suffer a severe heart attack and then cope with recurring conditions over the next three years. It also describes the mental health struggles she faced after the fact, including her fears about going back to teaching. This would be a useful short reading material for med students to discuss the different ways that heart attacks present in men and women, as it describes a much more gradual onset of pain than we typically associate with the archetypal male heart attack. It could also be a helpful case study to integrate into a unit about what realistic long term recovery options may look like for a patient so they can sensitively inform them. While these lessons could be taught in other ways, this resource would be helpful because it gives the perspective of bystanders, healthcare providers, and the patient before, during, and after an emergency.

Access