Nightline reported: Russert had an enlarged heart and coronary disease that was 'under control'

[Liberal_in_LA]

Just reporting what I heard. Too many people seem to be freaking out...thinking a healthy person dropped dead suddenly.

[Rex]

1. How old was he?

Didn't look like he was older than in his 40s.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. What the hell? U are joking right? In case you arent...he was 58

[El Pinko]

5. Isn't that a typical age of death in overweight, high-stress men who eat garbage?

No offense, but Russert looked like the kind of guy who would have nothing to do with tofu, or fiber, or just about anything healthy...

[JDPriestly]

3. Then his death was not such a surprise.

Heart attacks can occur but are uncommon at his age.

[El Pinko]

4. Are people actually suprised that he died?

He was overweight, his face screamed "high blood pressure". Honestly, his passing did not surprise me a bit.

Just looking at him makes me think of bacon, sausage, eggs and buttered toast for breakfast, every single day.


If Tweety doesn't get his shit together diet-wise, he'll be joining his portly pal in that big press gaggle in the sky soon.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. people are surprised when rich, famous people die

[Horse with no Name]

7. You are correct

He looked like a walking advertisement for hypertension.
Tweety is looking better these days...like his diabetes is under better control, but he looks very much like a man that does not exercise.

[hokies4ever]

8. What goes around comes around

Next time wait until the body isn't warm to crap on someone's grave.

[El Pinko]

9. Saying I'm not surprised is not the same as saying he deserved it.

Russert is dead and doesn't care what anyone says anymore, and I seriously doubt his loved ones are reading DU right now, so if I wanted to crap on his grave, I would.

But making an observation about his obviously poor state of health before he died is not "crapping on his grave".

[Horse with no Name]

10. What he said was the truth

the man was NOT healthy. Anyone who deals with sick people on a daily basis could look at him and tell you that.
Perhaps the greatest tribute to him would be to help save someone's life by pointing out the obvious, don't you think?

[stray cat]

15. Are you surprised if a family member or colleague is dead 5 minutes from now?

[Beacool]

16. Hey, what's wrong with that breakfast?

That's what I just ate, except for the butter and sausage....

LOL!!!

[hokies4ever]

17. Keep living the good life Beacool :-)

All these pansy vegetarians get on my nerves. :rofl:

[El Pinko]

18. I love bacon and eggs.

But they are a "special occasion" breakfast, not a daily or weekly thing.

Same for burgers or any other super-high-fat junk food.

One needn't be a vegetarian to eat healthy. Sorry, but I like my arteries unobstructed.

[Beacool]

20. I don't eat that every day either, just on weekends and it's brunch.

I didn't eat again today until dinner time. I do love a good breakfast though, eggs, crispy bacon, toast, coffee and juice. Yummy.......

[hokies4ever]

21. Yummy indeed

I'm eating a chicken sandwich right now. :donut:

(I guess the donut sign is close enough :rofl: )

[Beacool]

23. Why is bad food so good and good food so bad????

:cry:

[hokies4ever]

26. Don't cry Beacool :-)

You sound healthy enough to me. Don't be like Flanders in that Simpsons episode when he reveals that he's 60 and Homer quips that Flanders is 60 but hasn't lived a day in his life. :rofl:

[Beacool]

28. Thanks!!

No, I won't be like Flanders. I can assure you of that, I've been a baaaad girl......

:evilgrin:

[hokies4ever]

22. You remind me of that Simpsons episode when Flanders

reveals that he is 60. They ask him how he looks so young and it's because he never has any fun. Homer quips that Flanders is 60 years old and he's never lived a day in his life. :rofl:

[El Pinko]

24. Man, if eating cholesterol stuff is "fun" and "living" to you, you've got more problems than I do.

Whatever - to each his own. If it helps make life worth living for you, go for it.

[hokies4ever]

25. Do you know about pollution in Texas?

http://www.topix.com/state/ca/2008/01/texas-likely-to-keep-top-pollution-ranking

Turns out that you've been too worried about the food you eat when you should have been worried about the air you're breathing. :rofl:

[El Pinko]

27. Uh, yeah, dirty air kills way more in Texas than obesity.

:eyes:

Have you ever been to Texas?


It's like a giant hippo parade.


Besides, the state is almost 900 miles across in either direction.

The whole state is not Houston.

[Contrary1]

11. It's impossible for us armchair physicians to diagnose a problem

just by a person's appearance.

My brother, a firefighter and paramedic, who doesn't smoke, drink or eat junk food, and was within the weight range for his 6'3" frame, fell ill at work. He figured it was the flu. Some congestion and just generally feeling crappy. He took off early to go home.

Fortunately, he listened to that little nagging voice. He stopped by the ER for an xray, figuring he would get some antibiotics and be on his way. He ended up having a quintuple bypass. The doctor told him that had he not been in such good shape, he would have already been dead. He was 51 at the time.

Genetics play a big part in all of this. Our family tree is chocked full of folks who died at a relatively young age from heart related disease.

I have high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. I will be on medication to control both for the rest of my life. And it's not because I am overweight, or don't watch what I eat.

[old mark]

12. I agree from personal experience.

I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in 2002-I had great pain in my wrists and shoulders,later in my neck. I was in good shape, exercised a lot. I later had 2 heart attacks ( I thought I had pneumonia) the same day, had to have a quad bypass, and later a pacemaker.
I was 54 at the time. The problem was about 90% genetic-my mother and 3 of her 4 brothers died of heart disease before age 60.

I am taking Zocor now and my cholesterol is 115, and my arteries are completely clear. I will soon be 61.

All you guys blaming others for their health problems and thinking you are in complete control of your own destiny may be in for a shock. I hope you survive it like I did.

mark

[godai]

13. Prescription drugs can CAUSE heart attacks

I believe that some deaths attributed to heart attack can actually be related to an effect on the heart of some drugs. This is called QT prolongation and can cause irregular heartbeats and sudden death. Drugs have been removed from the market because of excessive QT prolongation (eg cisapride). Two or more drugs with relatively small prolonging effects may have an additive effect, perhaps fatal. That Russert recently passed a stress test yet died while in his office might be a signal that this was perhaps related to irregular heartbeat. It would be interesting to know what drugs he was prescribed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QT_interval


From the WP:
Russert's internist, Michael A. Newman, told MSNBC that an autopsy showed the journalist had an enlarged heart and that cholesterol plaque ruptured an artery, causing coronary thrombosis. He said Russert had been diagnosed earlier with coronary artery disease, but that it was controlled with medication and exercise and Russert had performed well on a stress test in late April.

[stray cat]

14. People who appear to be healthy can be dead in the next 5 minutes.

Whether Russert had a history of diabetes or not. Its worth remembering that no one knows how long they have and so invest what you have wisely.

[El Pinko]

19. Yes, and those who die prematurely are about twice as likely to be overweight and/or smokers as not

Sure, some people eat right and die young. Others eat crap and smoke and live to 100.

But the odds are what they are, and I wouldn't push my luck by smoking or eating loads of crap.