ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the U.S., but doctors with Corewell Health say thanks to advances in technology, more lives are being saved.
Watch the report by Demetrios Sanders in the video player below:
Three people who survived serious heart conditions were reunited with the doctors who saved their lives at Corewell Health Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.
As Zena Catalano from Chesterfield Township sat inside of the hospital, she's thankful to be alive.
"Thank God for all my blessings I have. I don't take that for granted. That's for sure," Catalano said.
In October, she began to feel ill, originally thinking it was a cold. But as her symptoms worsened, she thought maybe it was something more.
Extended interview: Zena talks about the symptoms she was experiencing ahead of her diagnosis
"I'm getting really weak and dizzy, lightheaded, and I thought I was coming down with vertigo," Catalano said.
After several doctor visits, Catalano, who had no history of heart disease, learned what she was experiencing was heart failure.
"It wasn't functioning. It was working at 15 percent," Catalano said.
On Wednesday, she was among those who returned to the hospital to meet with the doctors who saved her life.
Dr. Ivan Hanson says using Impella heart pumps—a piece of technology introduced about 10 years ago—was crucial in their efforts.
"With the combination of the pumps, she was able to make it through that first 24 hours and fortunately, she improved, her heart function improved and we were able to take the pumps out and now her heart function is normal," Hanson said.
Before using Impella heart pumps, Hanson says the survival rate of a heart attack or cardiogenic shock was around 50 percent. Now the survival rate for those same patients is around 75-80 percent.
Another woman who had one installed says she's thankful it gave her another chance at life.
"This is my second life. I can't look back. I can't have any regrets, I have to treasure what I have now," Celeste Bradford said.
Bradford shared a sense of gratitude to be surrounded by her doctors again.
"They, along with the Lord didn't just save my life. They became a part of my life," Bradford said.
Hanson says heart disease can impact anyone, and he encourages people to take proactive measures for their health.
"Avoid eating processed foods, avoid eating in ways that we know are unhealthy, never smoking, and regular exercise," Hanson said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
