just in the united states. if you haven t had a heart attack yourself, you likely know someone who has. i ve got a secret to share with what we know right now? we could see the last heart attack in america. i ve been investigating this for over a year. i ve got lessons to share, things you need to know, things your doctor may not tell you. i was lucky i didn t die of a heart attack. reporter: former president clinton, like too many people, was busy. and for years he ignored warning signs from his heart. but in 2004, during an exhausting book tour, there was something different. i had a real tightness in my chest when i was getting off the airplane and the only time i d had it unrelated to exercise. reporter: we re here outside new york presbyterian hospital. in just a couple of hours, former president bill clinton is scheduled to undergo surgery. so i immediately went down to our local hospital and they did a test, they said you got real problems. they hustled me
i was lucky i didn t die of a heart attack. reporter: former president clinton, like too many people, was busy. and for years he ignored warning signs from his heart. but in 2004, during an exhausting book tour, there was something different. i had a real tightness in my chest when i was getting off the airplane and the only time i d had it unrelated to exercise. reporter: we re here outside new york presbyterian hospital. in just a couple of hours, former president bill clinton is scheduled to undergo surgery. so i immediately went down to our local hospital and they did a test, they said you got real problems. they hustled me down to columbia presbyterian and they confirmed the determination that i had serious blockage and needed the surgery. reporter: doctors immediately knew options were limited. the 58-year-old clinton needed to have his chest opened, his heart stopped, and surgery performed. there s no medical treatment for reversing the obstructions that