Susan Lucci, 72, reveals she's 'lucky to be alive' after undergoing surgery for two blocked arteries

Publish date: 2024-06-22

Veteran soap opera actress Susan Lucci has a new lease on life after she underwent surgeries for two blocked arteries.

The All My Children star opened up about her health scare in the new issue of People Magazine. 

After three episodes with mysterious chest pain, the 72-year-old sought out the care of her doctor only to find that she had a 90 percent blockage in one of her arteries.  

Health scare: Susan Lucci revealed that she was lucky to be alive after she underwent surgery for two arteries that were nearly completely clogged in a new interview with People Magazine

Health scare: Susan Lucci revealed that she was lucky to be alive after she underwent surgery for two arteries that were nearly completely clogged in a new interview with People Magazine

At first, the star said she tried to brush off the discomfort in her chest. 

'I told myself, it's nothing, it will go away,' she admitted. 'And it did.'

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A little over a week later it happened again and chalked it up to having 'fastened my bra too tightly.'

Before Halloween, the brunette beauty was shopping at a Tory Burch store in Long Island when she couldn't ignore it any more. 

Getting honest: After three episodes with mysterious chest pain, the 72-year-old sought out the care of her doctor only to find that she had a 90 percent blockage in one of her arteries

Getting honest: After three episodes with mysterious chest pain, the 72-year-old sought out the care of her doctor only to find that she had a 90 percent blockage in one of her arteries

'It felt like an elephant pressing down on my chest,' she revealed.

Once Susan met with a cardiologist and has some tests, she learned that she was suffering from a 90 percent blockage in the heart's main artery and 70 percent blockage in another branch. 

'Ninety percent blockage — I was shocked,' Lucci told People. 'I'm lucky to be alive.'

The star's physician, Dr/ Holly Andersen, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center shared with the outlet that if Lucci hadn't sought treatment then and there, 'she could have suffered a significant heart attack or even sudden death.' 

'As a woman you think about breast cancer, not a heart attack,' the soap star explained.

'As a woman you think about breast cancer, not a heart attack,' the soap star explained.

Now Lucci is sharing her story to shed some light on heart health, particularly for women. 

'As a woman you think about breast cancer, not a heart attack,' the soap star explained. 'Every EKG I had was great. My blood pressure was on the lower end of normal.'

But her family history with heart disease contributed to her risk of heart attack.  

Lucci has adopted a Mediterranean diet and Pilates regime to keep her ticker healthy and is working with the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign. 

'We often put ourselves on the back burner,' she admitted. 'But if your body is telling you something, we need to pay attention.'

'We often put ourselves on the back burner,' she admitted. 'But if your body is telling you something, we need to pay attention.'

'We often put ourselves on the back burner,' she admitted. 'But if your body is telling you something, we need to pay attention.' 

Last year, actor and filmmaker Kevin Smith suffered from a heart attack after he had a 100 percent blockage in one of his arteries.

The terrifying moment kick started Silent Bob's quest to drop unhealthy pounds and focus on his heart health.

'I feel great,' he admitted in his first interview after the incident with Today.

Adding: 'Honestly the heart attack was the best thing that ever happened to me.'

Over haul: Last year Kevin Smith suffered a heart attack after one of his arteries had a 100 percent blockage and called it 'the best thing that ever happened to me.'

Over haul: Last year Kevin Smith suffered a heart attack after one of his arteries had a 100 percent blockage and called it 'the best thing that ever happened to me.'

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