TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sara Lippitt is using Heart Health Month to share her personal story, hoping to raise awareness about heart disease and the importance of advocating for one’s health.
“It wasn’t just anxiety. It really was something actually wrong,” Lippitt said as she remembers the first time she experienced heart palpitations.
She said she'd experience heart beat rhythms of 200 beats per minute, even while she was just rolling over in bed.
“I would just be laying in one spot, roll over, start feeling it, you know, feeling like I was really tired and next thing I know, my heart rate’s up,” she said.
At 30 years old and working as a volleyball coach, doctors told her she was young and healthy. But in the back of her mind, she kept thinking about her mother, who suffered from heart failure.
“You’re just thinking too much about it and you’re just too worried about, you know, you’re overthinking this. It’s not what your mom has. You got to stop being anxious,” she said, recalling what doctors would say to her in response to her heart concerns.
But Lippitt’s instincts were correct.
When she started feeling out of breath while walking from her bedroom to the bathroom, she knew something didn't feel right, so her doctors in Phoenix told her to immediately go to the hospital the next morning.
“I was in the hospital for three days, and it turns out I was in heart failure,” she said.
It took her around five years to get that diagnosis in 2022. According to the medical journal BMJ Quality & Safety, 12 million adults in the U.S. are misdiagnosed every year.
Dr. Iniya Rajendran, a cardiologist at Banner - University Medicine Cardiology Clinic now works with Lippitt.
“The biggest misconception about heart disease is that it is a condition of men and it is a condition of old age. As you can see in Sara’s case, it can happen at any age,” Dr. Rajendran said.
But, Dr. Rajendran said, the majority of heart disease can be prevented by following a heart healthy diet, exercising and avoiding stress.
"This is a diet that is low in animal fat, high in vegetables, fibers and fruits," she said. "And, at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise."
Heart failure occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. A healthy heart typically pumps most of the blood it receives, but if it pumps less than 40%, it’s a sign of heart failure. Lippitt’s heart was pumping just 27%.
“I’ve considered myself an athlete, and so it was really hard to navigate that and navigate the mental side,” Lippitt said.
Nearly three years later, her heart function has improved, and her team of doctors at Banner continues to monitor other heart-related concerns. Her story serves as a reminder of how important it is to listen to your body and speak up for your health.
“I think that if anything, being an advocate for yourself is huge,” Lippitt said.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
