Comments about ‘Listen to my Mark: Get your heart checked out’

It's nice to read an article discussing a Super Bowl ad and it has nothing to do with Betty White, beer, cars, Jay Leno, David Letterman, or Oprah. :)

I'm touched that you were touched by Mark's ad. He's my quarterback, he's adorable, and most importantly, he appears to be a genuinely nice guy. I'm very proud of him. Good luck with your surgery and my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

You of Danish descent in Utah need to be mindful of long Q-T syndrome, as well.

This is a good article and message, but at no point does it explain the difference between "heart disease" and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

The heart disease that is the leading killer of women is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), a disease that can often be prevented or helped by diet and exercise changes. It causes Heart Attacks: bad cholesterol builds up in your arteries and prevents blood (and therefore oxygen) from getting to the heart.

HCM, lately in the news because of the tragic death of two NFL athletes, is the number one killer of young athletes. It causes Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), which is NOT a heart attack. SCA is when the heart stops because the electrical signal that makes your heart beat can't get through the heart. In HCM, this is because the heart tissue is too thick; the cells crumpled up instead of smooth and flat.

HCM is genetic and _un_preventable. There is some evidence that, if diagnosed in childhood, the right medication and prevent the heart walls from becoming very thick, but will not change the fact that the heart cells are crumpled up instead of smooth.

Either way: get screened! Get educated.