Mark Dantonio OK After Suffering Heart Attack

by Pete Rossman on Sep 19, 2010 11:25 AM CDT in Michigan State Spartans Football

EDIT 1:16 PM: Lest you think Izzo was sitting idly by (via The State News):

Hollis said men's basketball coach Tom Izzo assisted in deciding who would take over as head coach while Dantonio recovers.

EDIT 1:15 PM: More facts from the press conference. From Lisa Byington:

Dr. D'Haem said Dantonio felt chest discomfort around 1230 Sunday morning after nd game

Jim Comparoni:

MSU asks that fans NOT attempt to visit Dantonio at the hospital over the next several days. They are limiting visitors

The State News:

Coach Treadwell on players' reaction: "They're handling it as well as they can. They love their head coach."

Dr. D'Haem: Heart attacks are never good...but I would classify this as a rather small heart attack

EDIT: 1:06 PM A couple more reports from the press conference:

From @MSUScottW:

Dr. Chris D’Haem said damage to Coach D's heart was "minimal". "He did the right thing nag (sic) got in here quickly."

Also, Coach Dantonio will not be on the sidelines for Northern Colorado.

EDIT: 12:51 PM The official press release from MSU Athletics has been issued. It's short, but here's the money quote:

"The procedure was successful and blood flow to the heart muscle was restored," Dr. D'Haem said. "I'm very pleased with the outcome of the procedure. Coach Dantonio is resting comfortably following his procedure and is expected to make a full recovery.

EDIT: 12:45 PM More information is starting to come out.

From Joe Rexrode:
Mark Dantonio is "resting comfortably" in the hospital, said his brother John today, after an emergency heart procedure early Sunday morning.

From the State News Twitter Feed:

MSU: Dantonio will remain at the hospital for a few days for monitoring. Return to sidelines at a later date.

MSU: Offensive coordinator Don Treadwell will manage day-to-day responsibilities of head coach.

MSU: Dantonio had a cardiac catheterization procedure early Sunday morning.

EDIT: 12:28 PM The "reportedly" in the title can be deleted now; both Jim Comparoni and Hondo Carpenter have confirmed Ms. Hammond's report.

Jennifer Hammond from Fox Detroit is reporting that Mark Dantonio is alright after reportedly suffering a heart attack. An "important football-related press conference" has been scheduled for 1 PM, where hopefully more details will be given out. As for now, we'll wait for more information, and our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Dantonio and his family.

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Comments

Hope he's alright

Rexrode says he’s resting comfortably, so that’s good to hear. Hope you have a quick recovery coach.

by Stones1981 on Sep 19, 2010 11:42 AM CDT reply actions

We Love You Coach

Coach D, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

by JGSparty on Sep 19, 2010 11:48 AM CDT reply actions

Yikes

Puts those jokes about wanting to win one of these without three heart attacks along the way in perspective. Get well soon, Coach.

by SpartanDan on Sep 19, 2010 11:49 AM CDT reply actions

Speedy Recovery

Hopefully Coach D can have a full and speedy recovery.

by msuduster on Sep 19, 2010 11:49 AM CDT reply actions

Will the news conference be televised? BTN?

by Stones1981 on Sep 19, 2010 11:51 AM CDT reply actions

No

But Lisa Byington will be providing updates through her Twitter feed.

The Only Colors - SBNation's Michigan State University Community

by Pete Rossman on Sep 19, 2010 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions

The MSU press release is up

http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091910aab.html

by intrpdtrvlr on Sep 19, 2010 11:55 AM CDT reply actions

Whoops!

First part of the story! My bad.

by intrpdtrvlr on Sep 19, 2010 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions

What is cardiac catheterization

From the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
-
Cardiac catheterization (KATH-e-ter-i-ZA-shun) is a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions.

A long, thin, flexible tube called a catheter is put into a blood vessel in your arm, groin (upper thigh), or neck and threaded to your heart. Through the catheter, doctors can do diagnostic tests and treatments on your heart.

For example, your doctor may put a special dye in the catheter. This dye will flow through your bloodstream to your heart. Once the dye reaches your heart, it will make the inside of your coronary (heart) arteries show up on an x ray. This test is called coronary angiography (an-jee-OG-ra-fee).

The dye can show whether a substance called plaque (plak) has narrowed or blocked any of your coronary arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in your blood.

Plaque narrows the inside of the arteries and, in time, may restrict blood flow to your heart. When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the condition is called coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease.

Blockages in the coronary arteries also can be seen using ultrasound during cardiac catheterization. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of the heart’s blood vessels.

Doctors may take samples of blood and heart muscle during cardiac catheterization and do minor heart surgery.

Cardiologists (heart specialists) usually do cardiac catheterization in a hospital. You’re awake during the procedure, and it causes little to no pain. However, you may feel some soreness in the blood vessel where the catheter was inserted. Cardiac catheterization rarely causes serious complications.

by msuduster on Sep 19, 2010 11:57 AM CDT reply actions

Wow. Prayers for him and his family.

by CPT Hoolie on Sep 19, 2010 12:16 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

It's not a Spartan football season without something crazy happening.

And we got a much crazier follow up to the first crazy thing that happened last night. So glad to hear he is well — rest easy, Coach. Tread might have to handle N Colorado and Wisconsin on his own.

by DP99 on Sep 19, 2010 1:01 PM CDT reply actions

I'm optimistic

Minor heart attack and he got to the hospital right away. He’s in good shape (my mom’s first comment to me on this news is that if she had to guess whether MD or BK was more likely to have a heart attack, it would’ve been the Golden potato and not MD) and I trust him to take this seriously. I won’t be shocked to see him sit out the N. Colorado game.

Es gibt keine Freude wie Schadenfreude

by Seer on Sep 19, 2010 1:06 PM CDT reply actions

he's definitely out for N. Colorado

per Jim Comparoni:

“A full recovery is expected,” Hollis said. “He will not be be coaching for the Northern Colorado game (on Sept. 25), but he is our head coach and will remain our head coach throughout this process.”

by lesmanalim on Sep 19, 2010 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions