According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of Americans today. As a board member for the American Heart Association, Pat O'Rourke has a keen understanding of health safety. But like a lot of other people, even Pat didn't immediately recognize that he was having a heart attack. "I didn't actually know I was having one and I kind of used my Catholic upbringing before we called 911 - I went and changed my underwear."

Pat's arteries were about 98% clogged. That's when doctors decided a stent was the best choice for Pat's long-term health. "Stents basically allow better blood flow to go through the vessel to the heart muscle which may help relieve symptoms such as angina and can be life saving in the setting of heart attacks," says cardiologist Dr. David Bailey.

Although it's been nearly 10 years since Pat's heart attack, Pat tells us he can still feel the positive results of the stent. "My energy went up. Blood was flowing much freer, so it did have an impact," says Pat.

Pat continues regular checkups and reports that no additional damage has been found in any of his heart tests since he's received the stent.

For additional information on stents in treating heart disease, visit www.americanheart.org