LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas woman who survived a heart attack is now dedicating her time to helping others recognize the warning signs that could save their lives, and has been recognized as this month's Vegas Stronger Champion.
We introduce you to Diane Friedman:
Friedman woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain stretching from her belly button to her fingertips. She was having a heart attack, but doctors had initially misdiagnosed her condition.
"We thought it was food poisoning, or a panic attack, because that's what the doctors were telling me," she told Channel 13.
Her doctor recommended bed rest, but something still didn't feel right, even a couple days later. When she finally got an EKG, the results were abnormal, but she couldn't see a cardiologist for several more days, due to it being a holiday weekend.
"So I walked around eight days after having a heart attack. And thank God I had the right doctor at the right time, and within the hour I had a stint, and I'm here today. So now I really want to stress that people need to be their own advocate, so this doesn't happen to them," Friedman said.
The severity of her condition became clear when doctors discovered a 99% blockage in her heart.
"If I didn't have the stint, I would have died, yeah. I'm very lucky, and thanks to technology and research, I'm here today," Friedman said.
Chris Calloway of the Nevada chapter of the American Heart Association emphasized the importance of education during February's American Heart Month, particularly about the differences in heart attack symptoms between men and women.
"We try to get the word out so that people understand more about how to take care of their heart, how to handle cardiac arrest, the differences between men and women having cardiac arrest, because the symptoms are different, as we heard from Diane's story," Calloway said.
Calloway praised Diane's advocacy work in helping others understand the importance of listening to their bodies and seeking proper medical care.
"Diane has been a tremendous advocate for us, helping people get educated about the differences in heart attacks between men and women, the importance of listening to your body, and not being afraid to advocate for yourself, pushing until you get the help that you need, and standing up for yourself," Calloway said.
Jeff Giles from Findlay Automotive Group surprised Friedman with the Vegas Stronger Champion recognition and a personal check for $599.
"We are here today because we've heard about the great things you're doing with the American Heart Association. We know that heart disease is still the leading cause of death in America. You've been a great advocate for the cause of people making better choices, living healthier, and just getting those screenings and checks and preventative measures that need to be done. We wanted to highlight you as our Vegas Stronger Champion for this month and give you this small token of our appreciation for the good work that you're doing," Giles said.
The American Heart Association reports that approximately 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals each year. The organization urges people to get trained in hands-only CPR and emphasizes the importance of recognizing heart attack symptoms, especially in women.
In the wake of her experience, Diane has also started Enusia, a jewelry company that provides 24-7 access to important emergency medications for people with medical conditions.
Friday, February 6th is National Wear Red Day to raise awareness for women's heart health.
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.
