Lawrence man with amyloidosis becomes oldest Saint Luke's heart transplant recipient
February is American Heart Month. 41 Action News reporter Emma James shares one local man's heart transplant story.
and last updated 2021-02-12 19:28:39-05
KANSAS CITY, Mo. â As part of American Heart Month, 41 Action News is sharing the story of a 75-year-old man's journey to becoming the oldest patient to receive a heart transplant at Saint Luke's Hospital.
After suffering from high blood pressure for nearly 20 years, John Edgar Tidwell, a professor at the University of Kansas, discovered he had a genetic condition called amyloidosis.
Dr. Andrew Kao, medical director of heart transplantation at Saint Luke's, said the condition causes the heart to thicken and stiffen, which can ultimately lead to heart failure.