Lower Nazareth Man Celebrates Heart Attack Survival

On the morning of Sept. 7, 2011, Brian Moffo, 48, experienced what doctors call an acute myocardial infarction -- a heart attack.

The Lower Nazareth Township resident had a blockage of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Moffo's diagnosis is known to medical professionals as the "widow-maker.”

Dr. Anthony Urbano, director of the Cath Lab at , explained that the LAD artery supplies nearly 40 percent of the heart with blood.

“In the old days, there was a reason it was called the ‘widow-maker,’” Urbano said. “[Moffo] was discharged in three days, which is quite remarkable, [and] it really shows how far we’ve come in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.”

According to Moffo -- who discussed his near-fatal heart attack during a presentation and celebration Friday at Muhlenberg’s Banko Family Center -- he was drinking coffee at his kitchen table when he experienced a pain so severe, it is what doctors refer to as “10 out of 10.”

“I sneezed, and at that point I had a crushing sensation in my chest,” Moffo said. “I went into the cabinet and took two 500 milligram aspirins… [my wife] came around the corner, and I told her, 'Call 911.'”

Within minutes, personnel from  and Bethlehem Township EMS arrived at Moffo's home, diagnosed his heart attack with an elektrokardiogramm (EKG), and rushed him to the emergency room.

Moffo’s case is unique because he recognized the pain as a heart attack, chewed aspirin, and called emergency services.

“The paramedics call ahead [to the hospital to] make sure the doctors know what’s coming," Moffo said. "If my wife had driven me, I would’ve died.”

In a mere 29 minutes, doctors moved Moffo through the Emergency Department and into the operating room to insert a balloon, which opens up the artery and allows blood to flow freely again. Once the balloon is in place, the worst of the threat is over.

The national standard response time from Emergency Department to balloon placement is 90 minutes, according to Urbano.

“It really demonstrates what good outcomes can be achieved when everything works together," Urbano said. "Everything was done promptly."

As a thank-you for their contributions to Moffo's case, the following individuals and groups were given service awards Friday afternoon from Lehigh Valley Health Network:

• Dolph Montanye, Hecktown EMS
• Pedro Gonzalez, Hecktown EMS
• Jamie Ober, Bethlehem Township EMS
• Jason Bate, Bethlehem Township EMS
• The Emergency Department Clinical Staff from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg
• The Cardiac Cath Lab call team from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg
• Brian Moffo was given a Patient Advocacy award for helping to raise heart attack awareness.

Ending his address to the group of medical professionals, Moffo added, “I give my whole heart of thanks to everyone for saving my life that day.”