In January, Christopher Blankenship experienced a life-changing event. While at work, he felt discomfort and dizziness, leading him to his car. Moments later, he found himself on the ground next to it. Unbeknownst to him, Blankenship was suffering a heart attack due to a ruptured artery.
With the assistance of on-site medical staff, Blankenship was stabilized briefly and then transported by ambulance. As his condition deteriorated, the paramedics called for Life Flight. During transit, he recalls being in and out of consciousness, "I stopped hurting, I just existed. It just felt so peaceful," he recounted about his near-death experience.
Blankenship attributes his survival to the swift actions of multiple medical professionals, including those at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. There, Dr. Brittany Owen, an interventional cardiologist with UTHealth Houston, sprang into action upon his arrival. "Because his blood pressure and heart rate were so low, I could not put him under anesthesia," Owen explained, describing the urgency of performing coronary angioplasty and stent placement while Blankenship was awake.
Owen identified smoking as a significant risk factor in Blankenship's cardiac event. Following a successful procedure and a subsequent intervention, Blankenship has committed to lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking. "I got a second chance at life because of God, Dr. Owen, and many others," Blankenship reflected.
Blankenship's story underscores the importance of immediate medical care and the critical role of specialized treatment during cardiac emergencies, highlighting the life-saving capacities of UTHealth Houston's medical team and resources.
