LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A local Las Vegas celebrity makeup artist and cardiac arrest survivor is working to close the survival gap for cardiovascular disease through continued education, awareness, advocacy, and CPR training.
February is American Heart Month, a time when all people, especially women, are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer for all women, but black women experience the highest burden.
“This is the number one killer of women over all forms of cancer, with black women being at the very top of that list,” Bre Khounphinith said.
Khounphinith was diagnosed with congenital heart disease at 20 years old.
“Even though congenital means at birth, I had been misdiagnosed with asthma as a child because of the similarities in symptoms,” Khounphinith said.
When she was 26 and six months post-partum, her health took a dramatic turn.
“I was going up the stairs to get ready for the gym and my heart stopped,” Khounphinith said. “I went into cardiac arrest. My husband had to do compressions until the paramedics got there. Once they got there, they were able to shock me back with an automated external defibrillator.”
She coded in the ambulance and then again at the hospital. Six months later, she suffered a mini heart attack. Fifteen years later, she reflects on her journey of overcoming and continuing to defy the odds
“I am doing pretty good,” Khounphinith said. “I just have to remind myself that I am not your average 40-year-old like my body has been through some things. I have to take my breaks and rest.”
Despite being diagnosed with pericardial effusion, an excess of fluid around the heart 2 years ago, Khounphinith continues to live life to the fullest, enhancing women’s outer beauty while encouraging them to care for themselves from the inside out.
She is a national ambassador for Go Red for Women, a national movement by the American Heart Association, where she and eleven other cardiovascular and stroke survivors share their stories of surviving and thriving to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and stroke and champion women to take action to protect their health.
“Pay attention to what your body is telling you,” Khounphinith said. “It can be any type of pain – arm pain, one or both arms, your neck, your back, your jaw. All of these things can be symptoms, Cold sweat, anxiety attacks, and panic attacks. Listen to your body, put you first, and take care of yourself.”
Khounphinith is also a CPR advocate. She says CPR saved her life and she’s seen it save the lives of many others.
Every year, over 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital, with most happening at home. According to the American Heart Association, only 10% survive.
The Nation of Lifesavers™ with the American Heart Association hopes to certify at least one person in a household with CPR by 2028.
