Overview

• Cormillot reported an unusual central chest discomfort around 5:20 a.m. Thursday with pain radiating to his jaw and ears and went straight to Sanatorio Finocchietto in Buenos Aires.
• An initial electrocardiogram and other studies appeared largely normal, but doctors moved to assess his coronaries and performed an angioplasty with stent placement about two and a half hours after arrival.
• Clinicians identified a small plaque obstructing one coronary artery, while the rest of his heart appeared in good condition according to accounts from his care team and family.
• He noted a long-standing risk factor of hereditary high cholesterol diagnosed at age 20, which he has monitored for decades.
• Now recovering at home and speaking publicly, he stressed that prompt evaluation of unusual chest symptoms can prevent heart damage, especially for older adults.