Martin Sheen, an actor and the father of Charlie Sheen of Two and a Half Men, has achieved recognition for his roles in the dramas Grace and Frankie and The West Wing. But it was while the actor was filming the psychological war drama Apocalypse Now that he experienced a significant medical issue that would hound him for the next nearly 40 years.
Along with Sheen, notable actors Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and Frederic Forrest also starred in the 1979 movie. The movie, which is loosely based on the short story Heart of Darkness, is about Captain Benjamin L. Willard (played by Sheen), who travels by river from South Vietnam to Cambodia at the height of the Vietnam War. Although Sheen was in his mid-30s at the time of filming, his heart attack caused the entire production to fall apart since he collapsed and almost died before he could get to a hospital.
Due of the distant settings where the movie was being shot, a community doctor helped Sheen remain stable until he could be transported out of the bush.
Francis Ford Coppola, who directed the movie, had an epileptic seizure one night after convincing himself that he was to blame for the tragedy, adding to Sheen’s near-fatal health experience.
According to the NHS, a heart attack is a significant medical emergency when the blood supply to the heart is suddenly cut off.
Coronary heart disease (CHD), a disorder where major blood arteries supplying the heart become clogged with cholesterol plaque buildup, is the main contributor to heart attacks in the UK.
One of these plaques will rupture prior to a heart attack, causing a blood clot to form at the location of the rupture. A heart attack could then result from this clot potentially obstructing the flow of blood to the heart.
Hypoxia, substance abuse, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) are among other less frequent causes of a heart attack (a sudden drop in oxygen levels in the body).
The signs of a heart attack differ from person to person. However, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) outlined some of them, such as:
chest pain or discomfort that develops suddenly and persists
spreading pain that affects your neck, jaw, back, stomach, or left or right arm. While some people experience extreme pain or tightness, others only experience discomfort. It could feel heavy or like a searing pain comparable to indigestion.
Feeling nauseous, hot, light-headed or short of breath.
Since a heart attack is a medical emergency, it’s crucial to dial 999 and request an ambulance. The NHS suggests chewing and swallowing one aspirin tablet while waiting for the ambulance. This aids in blood thinning and enhances heart-healthy blood flow.
Treatment for a heart attack after admission to the hospital varies on its severity. The two primary approaches are:
Sheen returned to the set within three weeks of his heart attack recovery. Yet 36 years later in 2015, Sheen’s heart problems were not over.
Sheen’s son Emilio Estevez, who was 75 at the time, disclosed on Facebook that his ailing father had undergone quadruple bypass surgery.
“The decision to operate on his heart was a proactive one, not an emergency situation,” the statement said.
“With my mother Janet and the rest of our family by his side, and with the guidance of his outstanding team of cardiologists, doctors, and nurses, my father took on this challenge with remarkable courage, fortitude, and humility.
Not surprisingly, he is doing fantastically well, is out of the ICU, and is anticipated to not only be at home for Christmas but also to be fully recovered by the time he returns to work on Grace and Frankie season three of Netflix early in the following year.
According to the British Heart Foundation, coronary bypass surgery reduces chest pain. During the procedure, doctors use blood vessels from your leg, arm, or chest to circumvent (get around) a coronary artery that has been restricted.
A better quality of life is one of the surgery’s advantages, especially as it attempts to relieve angina discomfort in patients.
The majority of patients require a hospital stay of six to eight days following a coronary artery bypass transplant.
According to the NHS, most people should be able to walk after three days, sit in a chair after one day, and ascend and descend stairs after five or six days.
A coronary artery bypass transplant carries a risk of complications, much like any form of surgery. Like an erratic heartbeat or a wound infection, these are typically rather modest and manageable. However, there is also a chance for severe side effects like a heart attack or stroke.
The fact that a coronary artery bypass transplant does not treat coronary heart disease must be stressed. Your grafted arteries will eventually harden and constrict if people with CHD don’t also make lifestyle adjustments, such as eating a healthy diet and exercising frequently.
