When Chest Pain Isn’t Just Heartburn: One Patient’s Life-Saving Lesson

6/27/2025

Dusty D'Agostino never thought he was in the "at risk" category for heart disease. He isn't overweight, he eats relatively well, and is active for his age and lifestyle. What happened earlier this year was a wake-up call, and now Dusty is gratefully embracing a healthier, more mindful way of living with the support of Navarro Regional Hospital cardiologist, Dr. Kelvin Akhigbe.

Dusty began experiencing chest pains in January. "It was right in the middle of my chest and it felt like someone was stabbing me with a spear and then setting an elephant on top of it. I tend to 'cave bear', as in, tough-it-out when I get sick. I tend to downplay whatever I'm feeling, and I don't want to believe that anything catastrophic is happening," explains Dusty. Thinking it was heartburn, he continued with daily life over the next few weeks. During this time, the pain occurred three or four more times.

Then one morning in February, Dusty awoke to chest pain that radiated up into his jaw. Knowing that this was more than heartburn, he turned to the internet. "Everything that I read told me to get to the emergency room. When I arrived, they immediately started testing and told me that my heart was definitely under stress."

A transfer to a metroplex hospital was arranged, and after further testing, Dusty was released with instructions to follow up with his primary care provider (PCP) and a cardiologist. Jennifer Hanna, FNP-DC., Dusty's PCP, arranged for an urgent appointment with Dr. Kelvin Akhigbe, an interventional cardiologist at Navarro Regional. "When he came to see me, he had classic symptoms of coronary artery disease. We performed non-invasive testing, which came back abnormal, so we proceeded with the heart catheterization. That showed blockages in one of the vessels that supply the side wall of the heart. We were able to get that repaired with stents," said Dr. Akhigbe.

"I felt relaxed going into the catheterization because of the staff; they put me at ease. The procedure was over before I knew it. Dr. Akhigbe came in and told me that I had a 99% and 90% blockage and they put in two stents to correct the blockage." Dusty admits to some anxiety during his health scare. "I hate to say it but I was apprehensive and a little scared. I have a son, a daughter, two stepsons and two grandkids. I want to see them grow with families of their own. I love Leslie, my wife- it took me a while to find her, so I want to stick around."

Since having the stents placed and the blockages repaired, Dusty feels better and has more energy. "I did not realize how bad I felt until I was fixed. Before the stents, it seemed like I could never get enough sleep. I would get tired and want to take a nap in the afternoon. I didn't have a lot of energy. Now, I'm not tired in the afternoon anymore. I have more energy and I'm not sleeping in the afternoon. My energy level is up, and I can do things that I wasn't able to do before without getting exhausted."

Living with a heart condition usually means making lifestyle changes. "I used to chew tobacco and then used nicotine pouches. I'm working with Dr. Akhigbe to taper off those. I'm watching my diet; every time I touch the salt on the table, my wife gives me a dirty look. I've cut back on red meat and I am eating more heart-healthy meals. We've made small changes like using olive oil instead of seed oils, and we have smaller portions for our meals. I go to the gym three times a week and try to walk a couple of miles and I'm starting to use weights. Sadly, I can't tell you the last time I had a steak, so I'm due," laughs Dusty.

Dr. Akhigbe attributes health improvements like Dusty's to timely interventions, such as stents, medications, exercise, and adopting a heart-healthy diet. "For anyone that might be experiencing similar symptoms, it's a no-brainer. Chest pain, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or fatigue that is out of proportion to what is normal for you, you must go to the emergency room. Call 9-1-1. Sometimes, patients may not have chest pain but may have back or jaw pain, radiating down the arm. We perform non-invasive diagnostic testing with a stress test, and echocardiogram, and then based on those results, we determine if the patient needs cardiac catheterization. In that case, we go to the cath lab, take pictures of those vessels and the heart, and if there is a blockage, we intervene with stent placement".

Dusty shares some advice for anyone who might be ignoring the symptoms of heart disease-especially men. "Don't wait to get checked out. You're not Iron Man. What happened to me can happen to someone in their 40s or their 80s. Whatever embarrassment you may feel in going to the doctor or the ER is better than being dead. Dr. Akhigbe saved my life. If you love your wife, if you love your kids, then please don't ignore your health."

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