ORLANDO, Fla. – In April 2021, Cynthia Jones was driving on Interstate 4 when her heart suddenly stopped at the wheel. First responders rushed her to the hospital, where doctors discovered she was having a heart attack caused by a 99% blockage in her coronary artery.

Her only symptom of any heart issues was shortness of breath, which she blamed on anxiety and stress.

When she arrived at the hospital, Jones was conscious but confused about what was happening.

“When they told me I was having a heart attack, I said, ‘Not me.’ I am the perfect person to not get a heart attack. I mean, I eat well, I don’t eat fatty foods or junk foods, and I exercise,‘” Jones said.

Dr. Imran Farooq, an interventional cardiologist with Orlando Health, and his team quickly moved Jones into surgery to address the blockage.

“We actually have to go through the blockage and push a wire through the artery which is only a few millimeters wide, which is probably the toughest part. Once the wire is in, we are able to push a balloon through to open up the blockage and finally place a stent exactly where we want and allow it to expand to fully open up that artery,” Farooq said.

The procedure restored blood flow to Jones’s heart and allowed her to realize just how difficult it had been for her to breathe prior to surgery.

“It’s amazing how much better I felt afterward,” Jones said.

Farooq described Jones’s survival as extraordinary.

“I think she’s a miracle,” he said. Jones agreed, calling her experience “a miracle” and emphasizing how fortunate she feels to be alive.

“Statistically speaking, I shouldn’t even be here,” she said.

Jones’s only symptom before the incident was shortness of breath — a warning sign she didn’t recognize as serious.

Since her heart attack, Jones has made significant lifestyle changes.

“The biggest change I had to make since this was reducing my stress,” she said. “As women, we feel the need to do it all, but I have realized what stress can do to you.”

Studies have shown that stress can have an impact on women’s heart health, often aggravating conditions like vascular dysfunction and increasing the risk of heart attacks.

“It is important to highlight that cardiovascular disease (CVD) presents differently in women. Most of the studies and data we have are done on a white male,” he said. “All women present differently for CVD, so we always recommend going to get an issue checked out if you feel differently than you normally do.”

Women are more likely to experience stress-related cardiovascular issues due to higher levels of psychological stress and different physiological responses to stressors.

Jones’s story serves as a powerful reminder that even those who lead healthy lifestyles can be at risk for heart disease.

For more information on heart health and recognizing symptoms of heart disease, click here.