\u201cI started feeling the discomfort in my chest when I was walking uphill or climbing stairs,\u201d Hale said. \u201cIt didn\u2019t feel like asthma<\/a>. It felt different from anything I\u2019d experienced before. It wasn\u2019t the classic \u2018crushing\u2019 chest pain, but it didn\u2019t sit right with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Although she was reassured during a visit to another health system that the symptoms could likely be managed in primary care, Hale trusted her instincts. With a family history of heart disease<\/a> and already taking blood pressure medication<\/a>, she sought specialty care. She was referred to Atul Sharma, MD<\/a>, an interventional cardiologist and director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory<\/a> at NYU Langone Hospital\u2014Brooklyn, by her husband, a longtime patient of Dr. Sharma.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s impossible not to think about your own mortality after something like this, and how close it came to being taken away.\u201d<\/p>\n Courtesy of Shana Hale<\/p>\n From the start, Dr. Sharma focused on her story: a healthy, highly active 43-year-old who suddenly felt chest discomfort brought on by exertion and relieved by rest.<\/p>\n \u201cEven though Hale is relatively young, that pattern is worrisome, and you can\u2019t ignore it,\u201d said Dr. Sharma. \u201cThe story was too concerning to explain away simply.\u201d<\/p>\n Joining many others at an AHA Heart Walk display, a red Ping-Pong ball with Hale\u2019s name represents her surviving heart disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n Courtesy of Shana Hale<\/p>\n Initial testing<\/a>, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a treadmill stress test, did not reveal a clear-cut problem. The heart\u2019s structure appeared normal, and while her EKG showed some changes during exercise, the findings were not dramatically abnormal. For many patients, this is where an evaluation might stop.<\/p>\n Instead, guided by her persistent symptoms and their shared concern, Dr. Sharma and Hale agreed to pursue advanced imaging with a CT coronary scan, producing a three-dimensional image of her heart arteries.<\/p>\n The results were startling. Dr. Sharma saw that there was critical narrowing in the left main coronary artery and that the artery seemed to nearly disappear when contrast was injected, which is consistent with a severe blockage. Further testing in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory confirmed the worst: more than 95 percent of her left main coronary artery was blocked. If the artery closed completely, the likelihood of a fatal heart attack was extremely high.<\/p>\n Heart disease remains a leading cause of death in women, and symptoms are often subtler or atypical compared with those in men, so there was no time to waste. She was admitted immediately, and within days underwent urgent open-heart surgery at NYU Langone Hospital\u2013Brooklyn, where the chief of cardiac surgery, Noritsugu Naito, MD, PhD<\/a>, performed a bypass using arterial grafts<\/a> designed for durability and long-term success<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in shock,\u201d Hale said. \u201cI hadn\u2019t even considered open-heart surgery as a possibility. But I also felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude that it had been found in time. It was kismet. I pushed to get this checked, and Dr. Sharma didn\u2019t let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n The surgery was successful. She emerged from the hospital with no permanent damage to her heart muscle and an excellent prognosis.<\/p>\n \u201cI have two young children, 8 and 6. I remember thinking: I\u2019ve been given a second chance. I\u2019m going to see them grow up. It\u2019s impossible not to think about your own mortality after something like this, and how close it came to being taken away.\u201d<\/p>\n Just weeks after surgery, Hale is steadily recovering at home. Her life has undeniably changed, but in many ways it feels richer. Recovery has slowed her pace in a good way, allowing her to be more present. Ordinary moments like sharing a meal, sitting at home, and planning for the future now carry new meaning.<\/p>\n Dr. Sharma expects her to return to a fully active life over the coming months, with no long-term restrictions.<\/p>\n \u201cMedically, her outlook is outstanding,\u201d he said. \u201cThe most powerful part of this story is that it started with a very subtle symptom, a patient who listened to her own body, and a care team that refused to stop asking questions until we had an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n Hale walks with her children on Mother\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Shana Hale<\/p>\n Her outcome reinforces the momentum and clinical excellence of NYU Langone Heart in Brooklyn. The open-heart surgery program<\/a> at NYU Langone Hospital\u2014Brooklyn has been active for just over a year, with around 100 surgeries performed and outstanding patient outcomes, which is a testament to the program bringing world-class cardiac care closer to where patients live.<\/p>\n Just as important as the technology and expertise is the time spent listening.<\/p>\n \u201cFor clinicians, the message is simple: Listen carefully to your patients. Their story often points you in the right direction, even when early tests aren\u2019t definitive,\u201d Dr. Sharma said. \u201cFor patients, especially women: Trust yourself. If something feels different, even if it seems minor, don\u2019t ignore it and don\u2019t hesitate to seek another opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Hale](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/INLINE_pre-op.jpg\")
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