Taylor Swift's much-ballyhooed appearance on the "New Heights" podcast debuted Wednesday night and had more than 11 million viewers on YouTube as of Thursday morning.
While much of the excitement was centered around the upcoming release of her "The Life of a Showgirl" album, Swift dropped some heartfelt messages about her father's recent health struggles alongside boyfriend Travis Kelce and co-host Jason Kelce that were just as meaningful.
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A potentially life-saving quintuple bypass procedure came after a cardiac stress test for Scott Swift, Taylor's father. From a medical standpoint, Swift's account of her father's surgery could serve as a call to action for cardiovascular health. With millions of adoring fans and a worldwide platform, medical professionals are hoping her points about her dad's status help others get ahead of any heart-related issues.
“So, he’s been telling all his friends, ‘You need to get the stress test because that’s what’s actually preventative.’ If you can find that earlier, you don’t have to have a bypass surgery,” Swift said on the podcast. "So, he finds out that he's got these blockages. They're like, 'This is, we got to do this like tomorrow ... like we don't know how you walked in here, dude.'"
The 73-year-old Scott Swift had "a perfect EKG" whenever he went in for an examination, according to Taylor's comments on the podcast. However, cardiologist Christopher Kelly with UNC Rex says heart disease can sneak up on you. Kelly said a normal EKG doesn't necessarily mean you're in the clear.
"You can have quite a bit of heart disease and still have a normal EKG," Kelly said. "Having a normal EKG at your annual physical doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not developing heart disease underneath the surface."
Months later, doctors discovered and cleared five blockages in Scott's heart. The stress test played a big role in getting a successful procedure later on and ensured he'd be around to see his daughter continue her success. Cardiologists said a stress test can be useful for people showing symptoms of heart disease.
A stress test is a test that determines the likelihood that a person has plaque or blockages in the arteries of their heart. If a doctor hears from a patient about symptoms that could indicate heart disease, it's a good way for a doctor to assess what's going on. The test records how the heart responds to exercise or chemical stimulation.
"If the heart has a dysfunctional or abnormal response, we kind of infer there is plaque or blockages causing that, and we have to check for it with a procedure called a heart catheterization," Kelly said.
Some of the symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath or feelings of pressure or tightness when performing physically demanding tasks.
"They’re really best suited when someone is having symptoms of heart disease, especially when somebody has risk factors for heart disease," said Kelly. "Also, if they're over 60, have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol."
If you're at risk, Kelly said there are other tools to use to gauge your long-term risk for heart disease, like calcium scores. Additionally, you can aggressively control your blood pressure and cholesterol to reduce your risk. Kelly said doctors are also using CAT scans of the chest.
"Whether you’re having symptoms or not, it’s important to pay attention to your risk factors, and that starts at a young age," Kelly said. "All of Taylor Swift’s fans, all the way down to teenagers and beyond, need to think about their risk of heart disease because it is the number one cause of death in the United States. It’s never too early to start talking to your doctor."
Taylor, to her family's surprise, came down for her dad's surgery and even moved in with Scott to make the process as smooth as possible.
"He just kept saying thank you over and over again," Swift said.
"Guy was full of life, man," Travis Kelce said. "He was so appreciative that he caught it."
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