Ray Romano reveals he had surgery to prevent a 'widowmaker' heart attack after doctors discovered a blockage in one of his arteries

Palmer Haasch
Updated ·2 min read
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Ray Romano reveals he had surgery to prevent a 'widowmaker' heart attack after doctors discovered a blockage in one of his arteries
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  • Ray Romano said that he had "90 percent blockage" in an artery and had a stent put in.

  • Romano said it was in the artery that leads to "widowmaker" heart attacks, seemingly referring to the LAD.

  • Romano said he was reluctant to take medication to lower his cholesterol, but would have started sooner.

Ray Romano said that he had a stent put in to one of his arteries after learning that he had "90 percent blockage" following years of trying to naturally lower his cholesterol.

Romano, who is 65 years old, appeared on Monday's episode of Marc Maron's podcast "WTF," speaking with Maron about his career, health, and directorial debut "Somewhere in Queens." During the episode, while both men discussed their health, Romano revealed that he had undergone heart surgery.

"I got kind of lucky that we found it," Romano said. "I had 90 percent blockage."

Romano said that the stent was put "in the main artery, what they call the widowmaker," seemingly referencing the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. The "widowmaker" moniker refers to a heart attack that occurs when the LAD artery is blocked, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The actor and director previously told Entertainment Tonight that he had gone to a cardiologist in New York while working on "Somewhere in Queens" because he was experiencing chest pains.

Romano said that he had a history of high cholesterol, but was reluctant to go on medicine to treat it specifically. Instead, he told Maron, he attempted to lower his cholesterol by working to "eat right." While adjusting his diet would temporarily lower his numbers, Romano said that he would lapse into prior routines.

"I'd go home and think I was hot shit, I got it down already, and I'd start cheating, cheating," Romano said. "And that was the cycle."

Romano said that after he had the stent put in, he started taking medicine for his cholesterol, and it "dropped" immediately.

"If I could go back 20 years ago I would've went on the meds," he said. "It's hard for me to sustain that diet stuff."

Read the original article on Insider