The Pulse of ACC | Last fall, CardioSmart set out to find inspiring individuals living well with atrial fibrillation, a congenital heart defect, coronary artery disease, heart failure, a previous heart attack or high blood pressure as part of the second annual “I Am CardioSmart” contest. Stories flooded in from across the country and five finalists were selected to compete for the grand prize: a trip to Washington, DC during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Hundreds of people voted for their favorite story via CardioSmart’s Facebook page and David Wang’s story of how he overcame challenges after suffering a heart attack took home first place. “Who ever thought it could happen to me?” he reflected. “I was in denial even though something major was going on – sweaty palms, numb fingertips and tremendous shortness of breath.” Wang, who hails from Massachusetts, made cardiac rehabilitation his number one priority and makes mindful choices in all aspects of his life.

Wang’s story is far too common and underscores the importance of educating patients about the symptoms of a heart attack and how to manage heart disease. Visit CardioSmart.org/For-Clinicians for tools to use in practice.

Keywords: Heart Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Defects, Congenital, Heart Failure, Cardiology Magazine, ACC Publications

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