Distance Runner Survives Heart Attack During Half-Marathon

Soma Ambadapudi, 49, a husband, father, and civil engineer from Houston, has always lived an active lifestyle. On January 20, 2019, Soma and his daughter were running the Houston Half Marathon when he began experiencing severe chest pain. He stopped at a nearby gas station and called 911, but by the time the ambulance arrived, Soma had gone into cardiac arrest.

EMTs administered CPR and multiple defibrillations as they transported him to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. Once in the catheterization lab, Dr. Prakash Balan quickly identified that Soma was in cardiogenic shock and placed the Impella CP® pump to support Soma’s weak heart before placing stents. Soma continued to improve and regained his strength and after five days, the Impella CP was weaned and explanted.

Soma was discharged home with his native heart, and today he has normal heart function and an ejection fraction of 55%. Soma is back to his normal life working as an engineer and exercising daily while enjoying his family.