Trainer Bob Harper Had a Heart Attack: Does This Mean We’re All Doomed?

By Joy Stephenson-Laws

When a fitness guru suffers from a heart attack, where does that leave the rest of us? That’s what Bob Harper’s heart attack, just a few weeks ago, is leaving many people wondering. You may know Bob Harper, 51, as star trainer turned host from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” He has authored several weight loss books and appeared in workout DVDs.

It’s been reported Harper suffered from a heart attack while working out in a New York City gym. A doctor sprung into action, administering CPR and using a defibrillator. He remained unconscious for two days and eventually woke up in the hospital. Harper says genetics are to blame. His mom suddenly died from a heart attack.

Now, Harper says he’s “feeling better” and “on the road to recovery,” according to recent posts on his social media accounts. A recent post shows him with wires. “I’m required to wear these monitors to see what my heart is doing throughout the day. I feel like a robot from WESTWORLD,” the post says.

While Harper sounds optimistic, spectators from the general public do not know what to make of this. Here are just a few examples of comments from the TMZ article about the incident:

• Heart attack, huh? Must run in his family, just goes to show sometimes it doesn’t matter how healthy you are.
• Exercise kills!!! I knew it!
• I will never die.
• Drink beer, eat pork rinds and pizza.
• Genetics aren’t always kind to us!
• Just goes to show being a health freak doesn’t prevent heart attacks. Lol.
• Unbelievable how someone so fit can succumb to a heart attack.
• How on earth do they find a vein with all those tats?

So does family history seal our fate?

We don’t know the ins and outs of Bob Harper’s lifestyle or the circumstances surrounding his heart attack at the gym. But, family history is just that, history. It doesn’t mean your fate is sealed. We know heart disease is common, taking the top spot as leading cause of death in the United States. However, there are many risk factors that can be addressed through lifestyle changes.

Heart disease risk factors include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity/being overweight, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Untreated sleep apnea and stress can also contribute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says,as may inflammation, indicated by high levels of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood, which is currently being studied more.

However, family history can also play a role in whether you have a heart attack or other form of heart disease. While heart attack risk tends to go up with age, there are genetic conditions that may cause a young person to have a heart attack, such as familial hypercholesterolemia, which may be as common as1 in 250 people worldwide.

So while your genetics may increase your risk, keep in mind that so do various other environmental and lifestyle factors. You can be proactive and lower your overall risk by changing some of the aforementioned behaviors that increase your chances of getting heart disease.

You can also get preventive screenings and tests done before symptoms emerge so you can work with a knowledgeable health care professional to decrease your risk. That’s what I did when I tried whole genome sequencing. My test results say my risk of heart attack is “moderate high.” The good news is I can be proactive and do something about my moderate high risk for heart attack, including eating a healthy diet with fatty fish and omega-3s, exercising, refraining from smoking and heavy alcohol consumption, reducing stress and  treating existing conditions such as high blood pressure or cholesterol

Whole genome sequencing may give you a better picture of your genetic predispositions, which may not only help you make informed choices but those in your family as well.

You can also consider asking your doctor about blood tests that check your cardiovascular health, including inflammation, lipid deposits, endothelial dysfunction, clotting factors and more.

Joy Stephenson-Laws is the founder of Proactive Health Labs (pH), a revolutionary health care company that provides tools needed to achieve optimal health. She received her B.A. from Loma Linda University in 1980 and Juris Doctor from Loyola University in 1983 and was admitted to the California Bar in 1984. Stephenson-Laws is also the founding and managing partner of Stephenson, Acquisto & Colman (SAC) and is co-founder and president of MoJo Marketing & Media, dedicated to developing ways for individuals and companies to give back to their communities through sports and entertainment.