2017-12-22T12:01:00
(BPT) – A heart attack can happen to anyone, and Bob Harper is living proof. As a celebrity trainer, Harper dedicated his life to helping others live a healthier lifestyle, but even his devotion to fitness couldn’t keep a heart attack from striking him.
Harper suffered his heart attack in February 2017. Harper was in the middle of a workout when he lay down on the ground and others ran to his aid. “I was so lucky that there was a doctor in the gym,” he said. Harper fell into cardiac arrest, and they had to shock him three times. “I woke up in the hospital two days later, dumbfounded and confused. Once the realization set in, I spent an emotional and upsetting eight days in the hospital.”
Surviving with heart
Since his heart attack, Harper has learned to adjust his lifestyle to help reduce his risk of suffering another heart attack, and he’s doing all he can to help educate fellow survivors about what they can do to help reduce their risk in the future.
Harper has partnered with AstraZeneca to launch Survivors Have Heart, an essay contest where survivors can describe their personal journey and connect with other survivors, including Harper. Together, AstraZeneca and Harper are teaming up to help people like him who have experienced a heart attack share their stories to educate and inspire others. They’re asking those who have had a heart attack to visit www.survivorshaveheart.com and submit an essay of 500 words or less about their experience and journey by January 15, 2018. Five stories will be chosen and those survivors, along with a caregiver of their choice, will travel to New York City to be welcomed into a heart attack survivors’ club. There they will have the opportunity to join Harper in celebrating survivorship and helping those who may be at risk of another heart attack understand the symptoms, know their body and take the necessary steps toward living a healthier life.
For Harper, Survivors Have Heart gives him a chance to practice what he preaches. “Being a heart attack survivor adds you to a club you never want to join, but once you are a part of it, you feel bonded by the experience,” he said. “As survivors, we carry each other and together we can make a meaningful difference in raising awareness on how to navigate this complex journey.”
Harper hopes to share his commitment to living in the now. If you have suffered a recent heart attack, talk to your doctor today about treatment strategies that are right for you. To share your own heart attack survivor story and connect with other survivors, including Harper, visit www.survivorshaveheart.com.
After Bob had his heart attack as part of his journey to recovery, he knew he had to adjust his lifestyle to help reduce his risk of having another heart attack. In addition, Harper followed his treatment regimen as his doctor prescribed. “I’ve been working to rebuild the relationship with my heart. Fortunately, I had complete trust in my doctors,” he said. In addition to making lifestyle changes and following his doctor’s treatment plan, Harper was prescribed BRILINTA® (ticagrelor) 90-mg tablets, made by AstraZeneca, to help reduce the risk of having another heart attack or dying from one.
BRILINTA is a prescription medicine for people who have had a heart attack or severe chest pain that happened because their heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen. BRILINTA is used with aspirin to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels such as heart attack, stroke, or blood clots in your stent if you received one. These can be fatal.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT BRILINTA® (ticagrelor) 60-MG AND 90-MG TABLETS
BRILINTA is used to lower your chance of having another heart attack or dying from a heart attack or stroke, but BRILINTA (and similar drugs) can cause bleeding that can be serious and sometimes lead to death. Instances of serious bleeding, such as internal bleeding, may require blood transfusions or surgery. While you take BRILINTA, you may bruise and bleed more easily and be more likely to have nosebleeds. Bleeding will also take longer than usual to stop.
Call your doctor right away if you have any signs or symptoms of bleeding while taking BRILINTA, including: severe, uncontrollable bleeding; pink, red, or brown urine; vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds; red or black stool; or if you cough up blood or blood clots.
Do not stop taking BRILINTA without talking to the doctor who prescribes it for you. People who are treated with a stent, and stop taking BRILINTA too soon, have a higher risk of getting a blood clot in the stent, having a heart attack, or dying. If you stop BRILINTA because of bleeding, or for other reasons, your risk of a heart attack or stroke may increase. Tell all your doctors and dentists that you are taking BRILINTA. To decrease your risk of bleeding, your doctor may instruct you to stop taking BRILINTA 5 days before you have surgery. Your doctor should tell you when to start taking BRILINTA again, as soon as possible after surgery.
Take BRILINTA and aspirin exactly as instructed by your doctor. You should not take a dose of aspirin higher than 100 mg daily because it can affect how well BRILINTA works. Tell your doctor if you take other medicines that contain aspirin. Do not take new medicines that contain aspirin.
Do not take BRILINTA if you have a history of bleeding in the brain, are bleeding now, or are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the ingredients in BRILINTA.
Slow heart rhythm has been reported with BRILINTA.
BRILINTA can cause serious side effects, including bleeding and shortness of breath. Call your doctor if you have new or unexpected shortness of breath or any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Your doctor can decide what treatment is needed.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. BRILINTA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how BRILINTA works.
Approved use
BRILINTA is a prescription medicine for people who have had a heart attack or severe chest pain that happened because their heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen.
BRILINTA is used with aspirin to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels such as heart attack, stroke, or blood clots in your stent if you received one. These can be fatal.
Please read Medication Guide and Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, for BRILINTA.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
