Sarah Beale working with cardiologists after husband Ben died of heart attack due to cholesterol
>
Healthy father, just 47, suddenly drops dead while out for a morning run due to a single ‘catastrophic event’, with one in five Australians at risk of the same fate.
- Little-Known Killer Cholesterol Is To Blame For Your Father’s Sudden Death
- Lipoprotein(a) Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attacks
Doctors are calling for more tests on a little-known ‘bad cholesterol’ after a healthy father of five dropped to his death while jogging.
Ben Beale was just 47 when he died of a heart attack while jogging and preparing for a charity boxing match in Perth in 2017.
He had been medically cleared just a week before the event.
His wife, Sarah Beale, said her husband’s death was originally thought to be a “single catastrophic event” with evidence before his death showing he had little chance of a future heart attack.
Doctors call for more tests on a second little-known ‘bad cholesterol’ lipoprotein (a) after father-of-five Ben Beale (left) dropped to his death while jogging preparing for a charity boxing match in Perth
Professor Jason Kovacic, chief executive of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney, said Beale had an elevated level of the little-known cholesterol lipoprotein(a), known as Lp(a), which contributed to his heart attack.
He says this largely unknown type of cholesterol increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks in young people.
Professor Kovacic said the data linking Lp(a) to higher levels of stroke and heart attack is “unquestionable”.
It is believed that up to 20 percent of the population could have at least a mild elevation of Lp(a).
However, Professor Kovacic said that many doctors and the public were completely unaware of Lp(a), which he referred to as the ‘second bad cholesterol’.
LDL cholesterol is largely known as “bad cholesterol.” High LDL levels increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Unlike LDL, Lp(a) is considered to be largely linked to genetics and is not affected by lifestyle factors.
Cardiologists have found higher levels of Lp(a) in families with a history of heart attacks and in people who have had heart attacks and strokes in their 30s.
Professor Jason Kovacic (pictured) said the data linking Lp(a) to higher levels of stroke and heart attack is “indisputable”. It is believed that up to 20 percent of the population could have at least a mild elevation of Lp(a)
Professor Kovacic said The Sydney Morning Herald that high levels of Lp(a) could be responsible for heart attacks among young, largely healthy individuals.
“We have long wondered why healthy people with low cholesterol levels and apparently no other major risk factors such as smoking or diabetes can have heart attacks,” he said.
According to Professor Kovacic, an autopsy on Beale’s death showed that he had “extensive cholesterol and fat in the walls of the arteries”.
“That’s what we see in people who have genetically higher levels of Lp(a)… they just have a rapid progression of a lot of cholesterol and fat on their artery walls, and they just have a heart attack.” before he’s even had a chance to harden [into calcium]’ said the cardiologist.
The results of Mr. Beale’s autopsy also showed that he had suffered two or three heart attacks previously and that a part of his heart was already dead.
Ms Beale said her husband was “extremely fit” and in hindsight she wishes she had had more blood tests.
The results of Mr. Beale’s autopsy showed that he had suffered two or three heart attacks previously and that a part of his heart was already dead. His wife, Sarah Beale, said her husband was “extremely fit” and is now working with the Victor Chang Institute of Cardiac Research to make a change.
If we had known, they could have tested him for Lp(a). It would have completely changed our entire life,” she said.
Ms Beale said that after her husband’s death, four family members had elevated Lp(a) results and she is now working with the Victor Chang Institute of Cardiac Research to make a change.
“I am determined to ensure that Ben’s death does not become another statistic, so I urge everyone to support our plans to establish the Ben Beale Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research,” Ms. Beale said in a statement.
“We are committed to opening this lab at the Institute’s base at the University of Western Australia on April 24, to mark the fifth anniversary of Ben’s passing.”
“What happened to Ben could happen to any of us – he was at the peak of his fitness and health and had no idea he was suffering from a disease that is claiming far too many lives.”