In November 2024, Paragon Bank commercial director Russell Anderson, suffered multiple heart attacks aged just 45.

To mark Heart Month, he reports on his experiences, recovery and what to do if you’re worried about your heart…

It was 14 November and I was in Homer Road, doing a walk and talk meeting with my team. I was getting a bit of chest pain, felt slightly light-headed and noticed a pain around my wrist, but after about 15 minutes it went away and I carried on with my day. During the next 24 hours it happened again a couple of times, although I carried on with normal activities including walking our friend’s dog and going to the driving range to practice my swing.

However, on the Saturday morning I woke abruptly around 4am with severe pain in my chest and unbearable pain in my wrist, I felt hot and dizzy and said to my wife, “I think I’m having a heart attack.” We called the emergency services, who were great, they asked if my wife could drive me to hospital – they needed me there as soon as possible and given where I live in the Cotswolds, this would be quicker than waiting for an ambulance. The ambulance dispatch team advised to go to Cheltenham hospital first for my bloods to be taken, as this would speed up the process.

They did ask if I had aspirin in the house – we didn’t – but ideally they wanted me to put an aspirin under my tongue and let it dissolve as it thins the blood and prevents clots. This is a top tip – keep some in your bathroom cabinets.

After taking my bloods in Cheltenham, we then headed off to Gloucester Hospital and although the A&E department was packed, it was my name that kept being called as they did numerous blood tests which confirmed I was having a series of heart attacks. I was transferred to emergency A&E and then onto Cardiac Care, where I was then plugged up to lots of machines.

Thankfully I was there when I had an intense heart attack at 3pm – the emergency team was called and I was in surgery within 40 minutes. I had four narrowings on my right artery – two of which were 99% blocked – so they fitted four stents. I felt better almost immediately and incredibly was able to go home the next day.

I’ve since had a further three stents fitted and am currently undergoing eight weeks of cardiac rehabilitation to reduce my chance of reoccurrence. I’m back exercising, building up gradually and making some changing to my exercise regime and diet. I ran a half marathon last year, so my fitness levels were pretty good and it’s important to me to get back to running. Although partial to a bacon sandwich, I have not had on since my heart attack and I’m cutting down saturated fats, making lots of small changes that will make a big difference to my health.

I was lucky, there has been no lasting damage to my heart. On reflection I probably should have acted straight away on the Thursday as soon as the pain began, particularly as I do have a family history of heart problems, but I think I was hoping it would just go away.

My advice to everyone is if something doesn’t feel right, don’t ignore it, get checked out, call your GP or 999 – you know your own body. It’s also important to remember your heart is a muscle so it’s important to train it. So, when exercising, make sure you warm up and cool down, this opens up your arteries and gets your heart ready for exercise! My situation could have been very different but thankfully I am here to tell my story and make a difference.

Stay healthy everyone.

Russell Anderson is commercial director at Paragon Bank