Several times a week, Carolyn Kirkpatrick experienced shoulder pain that would last about 10 minutes. Sometimes, the pain would include a thunk in the middle of her neck that could take her breath away.
An active 63-year-old woman, Carolyn chalked it up to a pulled muscle — an overuse injury. After all, she frequently played golf, pickleball and tennis.
But in June 2024, after weeks of pain and discomfort, she headed to a local urgent care center expecting an order for physical therapy.
Instead, her EKG showed “something off,” and she was directed to the Portsmouth Regional Hospital emergency room.
“I’ve always been in good health,” Carolyn said. “My cholesterol might be a little high, but otherwise I’m very healthy, very active. So before heading to the ER, I called my daughter who is a nurse to find out what I should do. And of course, she told me to go to the hospital.”
Her blood pressure was elevated. Her troponin, a cardiac enzyme, was higher on the second test, indicating heart damage or disease. She was admitted for the night, and a stress test was scheduled the next morning before she went to the cardiac catheterization, or “cath” lab.
The cath lab team found a significant blockage requiring intervention. But Carolyn also had a severe calcification, so she didn’t qualify for a stent in her arteries.
What started as a quick trip to urgent care for a perceived pulled muscle resulted in a triple bypass surgery two days later.
“My surgeon, Dr. Robert Helm, couldn’t have been nicer. He explained everything to me,” Carolyn said. “He told me that I could have the surgery the following morning, on a Friday, or I could wait until the following week. Admittedly, I have a bit of anxiety and was concerned about a Friday surgery. Who would check on me over the weekend? But he assured me that he would be at the hospital every day over the weekend, and he was. He checked in on me each day, putting me at ease.”
“There is a bit of family history for Carolyn,” said Dr. Helm, chief of cardiac surgery at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “But she is the first female in her family to experience cardiac issues. When the team in the cardiac cath lab saw the calcification, it was clear that she would require coronary artery bypass surgery, which is when my colleagues and I were consulted.”
Dr. Helm noted that Carolyn’s outcome was undoubtedly improved because of her overall health, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits.
“All of that contributed to a shorter recovery time and her ability to return to living the life she loves more quickly,” Dr. Helm said.
“A lot of women have atypical symptoms, but pressure and heaviness in the chest are the most common,” said Dr. Peter Dourdoufis, chief of cardiology at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. “Carolyn’s pain and discomfort were in her upper back, near her shoulders, and it felt like a muscular issue to her. When I hear that symptom, I immediately think of heart disease — especially in women.”
Dr. Dourdoufis said that it’s important to know your family medical history and to be aware of your modifiable risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking or other tobacco use. He adds that stress can be a secondary factor if it increases your blood pressure. He notes that symptoms to be aware of include fatigue or shortness of breath during exertion, discomfort in the back or stomach (both during exertion and at rest), unanticipated pain or discomfort and pain or pressure in the back or neck for no obvious reason.
“We’re seeing younger and younger people experiencing heart disease,” Dr. Dourdoufis said. “Just because you’re a woman in your 30s or 40s doesn’t mean you’re immune to heart disease. A sedentary lifestyle and poor habits — which we've seen even more of since the COVID pandemic — are part of it, but there is more that we don’t yet recognize. The number of younger people we’re seeing with a disease that has always been attributed to middle-age white males is surprising.”
Carolyn’s recovery has been strong and steady. She completed cardiac rehab at Portsmouth Regional Hospital’s Outpatient Rehabilitation and Wellness program. The routine of attending rehab three times each week was helpful for Carolyn, keeping her accountable and on a schedule. She's returned to walking and has since added yoga as a practice.
In addition to walking four miles multiple times per week, Carolyn resumed tennis twice a week. When the warm weather returns, she’ll add golf back into the mix as well as the occasional pickleball game.
“I’ve never had any kind of health issues, so this was a wakeup call,” Carolyn said. “You hear heart attacks or heart disease, any major illness really, can happen to anyone. And it did. It happened to me.”
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Photos courtesy of Carolyn Kirkpatrick
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