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new york –February is American Heart Month. Heart disease has now been the leading cause of death in the United States for a century, according to the American Heart Association.

To raise awareness about warning signs, a Jersey City man who survived two heart attacks spoke to CBS New York.

Carlos Mercado, one of nine children with no genetic predisposition, never expected his treadmill walk to lead to emergency open-heart surgery in 2010, when he was 42 years old.

“I felt like my heart was beating exaggeratedly. I started to feel pressure in my chest,” Mercado said.

He called 911 and later underwent triple bypass surgery.

“It was complicated and stressful. The recovery was difficult. I noticed a change in my mood,” Mercado said.

read more: American Heart Month: Yonkers woman grateful her sneaky symptoms were identified in time

Fast forward to 2022. The pandemic has created stress and unhealthy eating habits, he said. Once restrictions were lifted, he returned to the gym.

“I felt something knocking on the back of my neck. I thought it was a migraine. I don’t usually get migraines,” Mercado said.

Rather than dismiss it as heartburn, he called an ambulance.

“He had more than four blockages. His anatomy was very complex,” said Dr. Haroon Faraz, chief of interventional cardiology at Hackensack University Medical Center.

read more: If your family has heart disease, talk to your doctor about HCM

Faraz suggested using a device to support the heart muscle.

“He described Impella, which is here. It goes in through the artery through the leg,” Mercado said. “This device allows the heart to rest while the doctor performs the surgery.”

“This means that even though the heart is not beating, vital organs such as the kidneys, brain, and liver are still receiving sufficient blood and circulation is intact,” Faraz says.

Mercado said the recovery lasted two days.

“I’m back in the gym. I want to be the family clown,” he said. “I’ve been known to actually do splits on the dance floor at parties.”

read more: In the fight against heart disease, coronary heart CT scan technology continues to improve with AI-assisted software

He said he shares his story with everyone every chance he gets.

“I have a purpose to spread the word. I was asked to be a speaker at the Jersey City Pride Parade in August,” Mercado said.

“Two-thirds of the time, you won’t see the typical signs. Sometimes your jaw will hurt. Sometimes you’ll feel dizzy, short of breath, and have a cold sweat,” Faraz said. He added that there was nothing wrong with that. Immediate medical attention is required, as delay can damage the heart muscle.

“Don’t play with your mind. It’s your battery. It’s what keeps you going. Don’t wait too long,” Mercado said.

Mercado said she has since lost more than 20 pounds and is grateful for every moment of her life.

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