Bob Odenkirk Shares How Heart Attack Shifted His Outlook
Bob Odenkirk suffered a near-fatal heart attack while filming Better Call Saul in 2021, and the actor is now speaking in blunt terms about how close he came to death.
People reported that Odenkirk, now 63, opened up about the medical crisis in an interview with The Times. He collapsed on the set of the AMC drama’s sixth and final season, while co-stars Rhea Seehorn and Patrick Fabian were nearby. Odenkirk said they grabbed him and were “screaming.”
Seven days later, Odenkirk said, his first memory was leaving the hospital. He had been in a medically induced coma and lost a full week of his life. As People stated, he later learned he had suffered a widow maker heart attack.
The moment everything changed
In the interview with The Times Odenkirk said that pandemic restrictions created delays because people on set were spread apart. He also said, “I turned grey.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a widow maker heart attack happens when there’s a blockage in the left anterior descending artery, often called the LAD. That artery supplies about 50% of the heart muscle’s blood supply, which is why this type of heart attack is considered immediately life-threatening.
The LAD sends oxygen-rich blood to the heart’s left ventricle, the chamber that pumps blood out to the body. When blood can’t move through that artery, the heart muscle can be damaged quickly.
Symptoms can include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, upset stomach, tiredness, lightheadedness, and pain in the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, or back.
The Cleveland Clinic states people should call 911 or their local emergency number if they have these symptoms.
How Odenkirk changed his routine
Odenkirk has described the experience as life-changing. In the interview, he now considers the aftermath a blessing, saying it gave him a period where he felt deeply present and “very, very delighted and engaged.”
Since the heart attack, Odenkirk said he has cut back on sugar and now takes daily aspirin, a statin, and metoprolol, a beta-blocker used to reduce blood pressure. He’s also stayed active through stunt-fighting workouts twice a week with trainer Daniel Bernhardt.
Information from the Cleveland Clinic shows risk may be reduced by limiting sugar, avoiding tobacco, managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, eating foods low in saturated fats, exercising 150 minutes per week, and keeping a healthy weight.
For people who’ve already had a heart attack, cardiac rehab, prescribed medicine, stress management, and heart-healthy eating are important steps.
For longtime fans, Odenkirk’s story is unsettling, but also useful. It’s a reminder that health scares don’t care how funny, famous, or beloved someone is. They arrive fast and getting help fast can make a huge difference.
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