Ray Romano Underwent Heart Procedure to Avoid Widowmaker Heart Attack
Ray Romano recently avoided a major medical issue.
During an interview on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, the 65-year-old actor revealed he recently underwent a heart procedure after his doctors discovered his arteries were “90 percent blocked.” Catching it early meant Romano avoided a possible widowmaker heart attack.
“I had to have a stent put in, at 90 percent blockage,” Romano told host Marc Maron. “I got kinda lucky that we found it before having a heart attack.”
The comedians were discussing their health and diets when the heart procedure came up. Romano said his cholesterol had been an issue for most of his adult life but that he always opted out of taking medication to treat it.
“Every time, I said, ‘Let me do it myself,'” he said of past conversations with his doctors. “And I would go home, and I would eat right. Not vegan, but a little healthier, and get it down a couple ticks.” But his unhealthier eating habits would always make a comeback, leading to the blockage. Now, he’s on medication to control his cholesterol levels.
“Now because I’m on the meds, my cholesterol dropped right away,” he said, while also noting that he’s now pre-diabetic.
“If I could go back 20 years, I would have gone on the meds,” Romano admitted. “It was hard for me to sustain that diet stuff.”
Aging is a trip for the star. “Man, saying 50 was weird, but saying 60… it sounds foreign, it sounds fake, you know?” he said. “I know in my head I don’t feel that old. In my body, I’m getting a couple of notices that I am that old.”
Romano has brought up his recent health struggles more than once in recent months. Earlier this April, he told Entertainment Tonight that he went to see his cardiologist for “chest pains,” resulting in him taking a stress test while filming Somewhere in Queens, which he directed and stars in with Laurie Metcalf.
It seems Romano is on the mend following the health scare and procedure. He’ll next be seen in Bupkis, the Pete Davidson comedy coming to Peacock in May.
