Hip-hop pioneer Guru is currently undergoing surgery at a New York area hospital after suffering a heart attack and going into a coma. Guru, born Keith Elam in Boston, served as the lead vocalist for the group Gang Starr along with DJ Premier. The group was very influential and played a major role in establishing the East Coast sound of the early `90s.
At only 43, Elam’s condition demonstrates the seriousness of disparities between blacks and other races in health statistics. According to researchers, blacks had higher rates of severe chest pain at 28 percent, compared with
17.8 percent among whites, and had lower quality of life scores. Blacks also were less likely than whites to undergo angioplasty, a procedure to unblock clogged coronary arteries. Furthermore, 19.9 percent of black patients died within two years of a heart attack, compared with 9.3 percent of whites.
What’s happening with Guru tells us it’s critical to pay close attention to signs of a heart attack, no matter your age.
–amir shaw Warning signs of a heart attack: * Feel a pressure or crushing pain in your chest, sometimes with sweating, dizziness, nausea or vomiting * Feel pain that extends from your chest into the jaw, left arm or left shoulder * Feel tightness in your chest * Have shortness of breath for more than a couple of seconds * Feel weak, lightheaded or faint * Have sudden overwhelming fatigue Ways to prevent a heart attack: * Quit smoking. Your doctor can help you. (If you don’t smoke, don’t start!) * Eat a healthy diet. Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and sodium (salt) to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. A Mediterranean diet is also a very healthy choice. Ask your doctor about how to improve your diet. * Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes. * Exercise. It may sound hard if you haven’t exercised for a while, but try to work up to 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise (that raises your heart rate) 4 to 6 times a week. * Lose weight if you’re overweight. Your doctor can advise you about the best ways to lose weight. * Control your blood pressure if you have hypertensi
