Dad died - unknown cause of death and worried about genetic heart conditions

[Grievingandanxious]

Hi everyone

My dad died suddenly 2 weeks ago at 65 and the post mortem has thrown me completely as they couldn’t find an initial cause of death, so have had to take samples etc and we now face up to an 8 week wait :( It’s hard enough losing a parent but I’m not terrified it could be a genetic heart condition because I’ve read in cases where no cause of death is ascertained it goes down as Sudden adult cardiac death, and family need to be screened etc.

Has anyone else been through this? I’m so anxious for myself and my little girl that we may have some underlying ticking time bomb condition but can’t do anything about it for weeks and weeks.

There was a lot of death by heart disease in my mother's family. My doctor pointed out to me the likely difference in their diet and lifestyle and mine (mine's not bad, with plenty of veg and good fats) and my mother's was awful. So look after yourself in all ways, as that really does affect your life chances.

We finally got the coroners report (they told
us 8 weeks and it took 12!)

It was coronary artery disease. I’m relieved we have an answer and that it’s unlikely to be anything genetic, but wonder if I should still have a chat to my GP about any impact of it on me. My dad was fairly fit and healthy, slightly overweight but not much and walked a lot. Stopped smoking 20 years ago and was on high dose statins but still
had high cholesterol which seems a bit odd.

Still, we have answers now at least.

Pleased you finally have some answers. Yes have a chat with your doctor and get it on your medical records. May help you it may not. It’s shit isn’t it. Still doesn’t feel real to me. Life goes on

I probably don't need to list the things that you shouldn't do to keep your heart healthy. If you aren't doing them, start! But don't make a healthy life so miserable that it just seems longer! Sometimes there are no clear answers. Your time is your time, no matter what you do. Make every minute of the time you have worth something. And love it. Positive mental health is actually equally, if not more, important than physical health. The brain, and the power of positive thinking, can work as many miracles as science.

But never forget that life is too short for ironing!