Johnie,

Congratulations on making it through - welcome to the the lucky club! I was having a little trouble breathing so I thought I'd check my asthma meds, and the doctor said "you ain't having an asthma attack, young lady." I was 43 at the time. Turns out I have a huge amount of a blood chemical that causes spot blockages, and have spent almost two years getting it under control. Have the doctor check your lp(a) level (pronounced "L-P little a"), which is not part of a standard lipid profile.

Recent studies have shown that it is a nearly complete predictor of heart attack/stroke risk. It's speculated that this is the chemical that allows the cholesterol to adhere to artery walls, however doctors still do not routinely test for it, even in patients with known heart problems. My insurance has always covered the test cost, though.