Ryan was captain of his hockey team and loved by all who knew him. This past March he was to play in a huge semi-final game in Plymouth, Michigan, but instead his Dad found him dead in his bed that morning. We don't know the Fischer family, they are friends of friends and live on the other side of Grand Rapids from us, but we are shocked at their faith and their strength. Especially when I think about his parents who still went to the game that night to cheer on their son's team. Wow. Only with God could that be done. I still cry every time I watch this video and others like it. And I melt when I hear about what a solid kid he was — kind to everyone, strong in his church, and thrilled to be heading off to serve his country in the military after graduation.
What Causes an Enlarged Heart?
His family learned that he unknowingly had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, also known as an enlarged heart, which can often go undetected.
“He’s had this condition for a long time. This is not something that suddenly occurred overnight. This is a genetic disorder. It can run in families, so you look at genetic history of other family members,” said Dr. Loker.
“The majority do not have any symptoms until their cardiac event. The majority of cases with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that present this way, their first episode is sudden cardiac death.” (Source)
If there are no symptoms ahead of time, there's really nothing that can be done, but sometimes there are warning signs. Anytime someone experiences fatigue, an abnormal heart rhythm, shortness of breath, or swelling, that should be checked out, obviously. I've been doing some research and poking around online trying to find some help for those with a family history or who show symptoms, and all I found was a tiny glimmer of hope. Apparently early trials suggest that “Curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, when given orally to a variety of mouse models with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy), can prevent and reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce scar formation“. (Source)
Is it just me, or doesn't it seem like we hear about a lot more of these cases lately?
It's been on national news — kids collapsing at football practice for example — and even here locally when I was researching for this post I found several similar stories in recent years! It may be genetic, but that doesn't mean it's normal, what could be causing this?
I'd love to hear what you think. And please pray with me for Ryan's family.
Debra says
Could it be magnesium deficiency causing heart trouble?
This podcast shared this possibility:
https://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2012/03/23/magnesium-deficiency-the-stealth-bomber-in-chronic-disease
Debra says
Could it be magnesium deficiency causing heart trouble?
This podcast shared this possibility:
https://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2012/03/23/magnesium-deficiency-the-stealth-bomber-in-chronic-disease
abby beale says
Sometimes it can be that the athlete is drinking sugary drinks that deplete magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can lead to irregular heart rhythms.
christin says
I wonder about magnesium too. What are other early signs? I had a great grandfather drop dead in his 30’s!!
abby beale says
https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms-and-diagnosis
gives a good synopsis. lots of good articles about it on the net.
KitchenKop says
Wow, I hadn’t put that together, but it would certainly make sense, at least as a possibility to explore!
Jennifer Gregory Miller says
I recently found out I have HCM. I’m 47, with two sons. It is very common, 1 in 500 people might have it and it’s been around for a long time. The cellular structure that is different and causes the heart to stiffen, and in some places the muscle thickens. Because of this many will have “electrical problems, which can cause the Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Not everyone will have the SCA risk. I had a large obstruction (build-up of the septum) and so had open heart surgery this December. The diagnosis was missed for years.
This is mainly a genetic problem, and if you started tracing family trees, you would see some “unexplained deaths” for young people were probably HCM. They are making great strides in research and pinpointing some of the genes that cause this abnormality. Unfortunately for me, my genes didn’t match the ones known to cause this. The reason why we are hearing about it is that there is more understanding and awareness. Most cardiologists deal with heart disease and older patients and really miss this in the early stages of echocardiograms. Ask me how I know.
4hcm.org is a source of wonderful information. I used Cleveland Clinic which is a center of excellence for HCM. If you have a family history, go to a hospital that deals with this issue on a regular basis.
For people who are at risk, there are certain activities we have to avoid. For these young athletes, they stressed their heart too much and the electrical system went haywire.
It’s not genetic in the same sense of a person having heart disease or high blood pressure in the family. Except for approved types of exercise, there isn’t a way to “prevent” this, except that there be better screening. Just requiring an EKG for athletes before starting the season might detect the irregularities.
My arteries are wonderful and I have low blood pressure and I follow many of the nourishing ways of eating. I didn’t cause this, and couldn’t have changed this, so this was an example of having to take the surgery and medicine. I’m so much better having the septal myectomy — I feel like I have a new lease on life. I’m only taking a small dose of beta blocker and should have minimal problems now, although I will always have HCM.
Thomas Martin says
Although this did not happen to me as a young man, it did happen to me as an adult. Suddenly I found myself in hospital after hospital with the medical teams telling me I would need a heart transplant. I refused to accept this and sought answers they could not give me.
It appears the two major causes of heart failure are mercury poisoning (often from amalgam fillings and vaccines) and the other is hypothyroidism (often misdiagnosed and overlooked). Low performing thyroid can be brought on by fluoride poisoning.
I have two books out, one about my own journey overcoming heart failure (cardiomyopathy dilated) and the other a step-by-step guide to reach optimal health. Both are available on my website http://www.OnePercentHealth.com. One percent were the odds I was given of getting well.
frankie says
I will check out your website. Thank you. Yrs ago my brother acquired a viral infection that left him with dilated cardiomyopathy. He too was lucky enough to avoid the transplant route even though he was catapulted to first on the list. Unfortunately his SO decided on the medical route, so now he is on disability, taking a boatload of Rx. Of late I’ve been reading of teenagers irreparably harmed by flu shots, some never to awaken. I’ve lost my employment and some good will from family due to my refusal to be a guinea pig for the govt and pharma hegemony. But my incessant need to question everything has kept me healthy and I too, strive to educate others.
frankie says
Did this young man receive a flu shot?
Tracy W. says
When are we going to look harder at these “energy” drinks the kids are gobbling up every day? I think they are playing a role in the sudden deaths of our teens.