|
|
Article: MARAVICH WAS UNAWARE OF RARE HEART CONDITION LACK OF LEFT CORONARY ARTERY TOOK TOLL AFTER RETIREMENT
- Article from:
- The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
- Article date:
- January 13, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1988 The Boston Globe. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Basketball Hall of Famer Pete Maravich died of an exceedingly
rare heart condition that he inherited at birth and may have been
treatable if he had been aware of it, doctors said yesterday.
The immediate cause of death was an interruption of the flow
of blood to the heart during a pickup basketball game last week in
Pasadena, Calif. His heart beat irregularly, then stopped,
according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.
Troubles for the man known as Pistol Pete began at birth.
He was born without a left main coronary artery, which carries
life-sustaining oxygen and blood to the left side of the heart.
Instead, a branch from the right coronary artery wound around to
the left ...