He’s known all around the world for playing loveable larrikin Alf Stewart on Home and Away and Australian actor Ray Meagher has revealed he underwent emergency triple bypass surgery last week after a routine health check discovered he had multiple blockages in his arteries.
Speaking exclusively to Newscorp on Saturday, the 75-year-old actor explained that production on the hit Channel 7 soap – which films in New South Wales – had stopped for the winter and that he was planning a Queensland road trip with his beloved wife, Gilly. He had an appointment with his cardiologist before his holiday which revealed three serious blockages in his arteries that required immediate action.
“We were all packed up and ready to drive north, but if we had without seeing the cardiologist, well, you could have a heart attack at the wheel, you kill yourself, you kill your wife, or some other poor innocent people,” he told Newscorp.
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According to the publication, doctors initially thought Meagher would require a stent but after discovering one of his arteries was 100 per cent blocked, he underwent open heart surgery. Our arteries can become blocked when cholesterol, fatty deposits and plaque build up on the inner walls of the arteries, causing them to harden or become clogged.
This results in blood flow to the heart becoming reduced which can lead to a heart attack, as well as shortness of breath, chest pain and other worrying symptoms. Shockingly, data from the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Survey shows that nine in 10 (93.4 per cent) Australian adults have at least two risk factors for heart disease.
This corresponds to 17.4 million people and can include anything from an unhealthy diet, smoking and high cholesterol to diabetes, a lack of physical exercise and being overweight.
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Doctors can perform heart health checks which involve an assessment of your risk factors for heart disease. Based on the results, the doctor then works with patients to manage the risk of heart disease and may suggest lifestyle modifications or even prescribe medication to lower the risk. These checks are covered by Medicare.
Meagher is now on the road to recovery and resting at his Sydney home, with doctors encouraging the iconic star to exercise and “do all the right things” in order to recover.
“I’m not quite rearing to go just yet but it comes back again to ‘please people, get checked,’” Meagher told Newscorp.
“It doesn’t take long and there’s so much to be gained by going to the doctor and finding out the truth about your health, so you can do something about it.”
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Meagher has appeared on Home and Away since the series made its debut in 1988, but has been well-known in Australia since the ‘70s. He’s also appeared in an array of other movies, TV shows and stage productions including Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Breaker Morant, The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and Newsfront.
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