General News
19 May, 2025
New glasses uncover life-threatening heart condition
A routine prescription upgrade turned into a lifesaving moment for Horsham business owner Pat Kennett, who is now urging others, especially women, to prioritise heart health checks.
Earlier this year, Ms Kennett upgraded her glasses and soon after began experiencing persistent headaches. Believing her new eyewear was the cause, she returned to her optometrist for a recheck.
During the eye exam, the optometrist detected a bleed behind her right eye and advised her to seek medical attention immediately.
“I did that, and when the GP took my blood pressure, he told me it was so high that I should have already had a heart attack or stroke by now,” Ms Kennett said.
Fortunately, she hadn’t, but the discovery sparked a series of urgent medical investigations, including blood tests, an ECG, and an MRI, which involved several trips to Ballarat.
“The blood tests revealed a few other medical problems which needed to be fixed before I could have any heart surgery,” she said.
“Initially, they thought I would need stents, but after all the testing, the cardiologist said I would need a triple bypass.”
Following the procedure, her surgeon informed her she had undergone a quadruple bypass instead.
“He told me I was a very lucky woman and from the condition of my arteries, he can’t believe that I hadn’t already had a heart attack,” she said.
Recovery proved longer than expected.
For six weeks, Ms Kennett could not drive or return to work at her lighting and fan business.
“I thought I would be back at work in a few weeks, but that’s not how it works because I was very tired and struggled to achieve much at all,” she said.
Ms Kennett is now undergoing cardiac rehabilitation at Grampians Health Horsham, where she’s connecting with others and gaining vital knowledge about heart health.
“The more I learn, the more I realise how lucky I’ve been,” she said.
“I was aware that I was at some risk of heart disease because it was already in my family.
“My father died of a heart attack, but because I’ve generally been in good health, I just thought I was going to be one of those people that nothing happens to.”
She now strongly encourages others to take their heart health seriously.
“I especially want women to get themselves checked because apparently their symptoms of heart disease are generally not as obvious as that of men,” she said.
Grampians Health cardiac nurse Jo Carroll echoed Pat’s message and encouraged regular heart health checks for people over 45.
“People with diabetes should get checked once they turn 35 and First Nations people from age 30,” Ms Carroll said.
“It’s generally a 20-minute check-up with your GP and it will help you understand if you are at risk of a heart attack or stroke in the next five years.
“Your doctor will then work with you on ways that you can reduce your risk.”