Overview 

The widowmaker is another name for the left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart (LAD). The LAD is a main source of blood flow to the heart, particularly the left ventricle, and blockage in this artery is very critical. When this artery is blocked, a majority of the heart isn’t circulating oxygenated blood which leads to heart muscle damage and death. Coronary artery disease, which leads to heart attack, has consistently been the leading cause of death in the United States; the widowmaker is an important reason why. Without sufficient blood supply to the left side of the heart, the rest of the body is deprived of oxygen.    

The LAD is nicknamed the widowmaker because if this artery has 100% blockage it causes a massive heart attack; once the widow maker hits, the survival time is limited to a few minutes to hours. The heart attack causes cardiac arrest which leads to the individual’s death within 10 to 20 minutes of lack of circulation throughout the heart. Recovery from this particular heart attack is very unlikely, with an estimated survival rate between 5% and 10%.  

Initial symptoms can vary and may not be thought of as critically important. Early symptoms may be mistaken for general flu, food poisoning, or general feelings of discomfort or illness, and won’t be noticed as needing immediate attention until it is too late. Even with immediate attention from paramedics, many patients do not survive after the first hour of treatment. Initial CPR is used, oxygen therapy, medications that dissolve blood clots and/or removing the clot and improving blood flow through surgery.  

There have been several famous celebrities and entertainers that have died from the widowmaker.

-Tim Russert, a former NBC News Washington Burea Chief.

-Daryl Kile, a professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.

What is a Widow Maker? (2003-2015). Conjecture corporation. Retrieved January 24, 2015, from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-a-widow-maker.htm#comments