AFFAIRS OF THE HEART; `ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING READY TO PUT A TOMBSTONE OVER YOUR HEAD, OR YOUR LIFE COULD BE JUST STARTING. THIS IS LIKE A SECOND LEASE ON LIFE'.

Byline: Phil Davis Staff Writer

Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves knew the burning sensation in his chest and racing heartbeat could mean trouble, but he figured he'd work through the discomfort and get it checked out at the end of the 1998 season.

All his life he'd conquered problems by sheer will - a philosophy that carried him to eight Super Bowls as player and coach and helped him win more games than any other coach in the National Football League.

This time that attitude nearly got him killed.

The burning sensation was his body's warning that he had advanced heart disease. In the end, Reeves did the right thing. He mentioned the pain to a team doctor after a Dec. 13 game in New Orleans. The doctor insisted on an immediate exam, and the disease was found before a heart attack.

``I had blockage of 95 percent in two arteries and almost 100 percent in another one,'' Reeves said. ``That was a heart attack waiting to happen.''

On Dec. 15, Reeves underwent quadruple bypass surgery in Atlanta. True to form, the tough coach was back on the sidelines in only four weeks - leading the Falcons to his ninth NFL championship game, Super Bowl XXXIII.

The near miss also gave Reeves a new philosophy on life.

As he works to get the Falcons into shape for the 1999 season, Reeves also is concentrating on controlling stress, eating right, exercising and keeping close tabs on his cholesterol levels - leading by example in the fight against cardiovascular diseases, America's No. 1 killer. The American Heart Association estimates diseases of the heart kill more than 959,000 Americans each year.

``All of a sudden, you feel like you're getting ready to put a tombstone over your head, or your life could be just starting,'' Reeves said of his close call. ``This is like a second lease on life. I've still got the heart disease. It's still in me. They've just bypassed it. I've got to do something to change it: exercise, diet and medication - and hope to try to handle stress.''

Reeves, who'd had problems with high cholesterol and some blockage in his arteries back in 1990, was surprised at what he didn't know about heart disease. He knew he should be watching his cholesterol, but it turns out the information he had was badly outdated. It's a common problem, and it inspired the 54-year-old coach to spend his off-season touring the country and talking about the dangers of high cholesterol.

Here's a crash course in cholesterol basics:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - also known as ``bad'' cholesterol - can build up on artery walls, causing plaque that hampers the body's ability to transport blood. Reduced blood flow can cause a heart attack or a stroke. LDL cholesterol levels should be kept at no more than 100 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter) for people with diagnosed heart disease and 160 mg/dl for people with few or no heart disease risk factors.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) - or ``good'' cholesterol - cleans dangerous fats out of the bloodstream. Doctors say everyone should shoot for an HDL cholesterol level greater than 35 mg/dL.

Many people watch their total cholesterol - a combination of LDL and HDL - but doctors now say it's best to keep track of both good and bad individually because it gives a clearer picture of what's going on inside the arteries.

Controlling cholesterol is simple - in theory anyway. It comes down to a healthy diet and regular exercise, a medical litany many Americans continue to ignore despite the risks. In fact, Americans can add up to 10 years to their life expectancy simply by avoiding fatty foods (such as red meat, fried foods, avocados, gravy and butter) and boosting their heart rates with 45 minutes of exercise a few days a week.

Even doctors aren't getting the cholesterol message.

Dr. P.K. Shah, director of the division of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said many doctors aren't up to date on the latest research, especially concerning the benefits of cholesterol-lowering drugs. Shah said research conducted in the last five years shows the drugs can be lifesavers for patients who can't or won't control cholesterol through diet and exercise. But not everyone is getting the help they need.

``Here's the problem,'' Shah said. ``Of all the patients in this country that could benefit from cholesterol-lowering medications, less than a third are actually receiving them. Of those that are receiving them, less than half are receiving them in enough quantities to bring their cholesterol down to a target level. There is a huge gap. And this gap is what we're trying to address.''

Cedars-Sinai has tripled its use of cholesterol-lowering medications in the last year and is working with Reeves and Merck & Co. pharmaceuticals to spread the word on a national level. Their program focuses on cholesterol because it is the most common risk factor in heart disease.

Shah said while doctors should be up to date on research, patients shouldn't count on someone else to watch out for their health.

``You have to recognize, a doctor has many patients, but a patient has only one body to worry about,'' Shah said. ``They really need to take some responsibility.''

Reeves agreed. He moved three times in the last decade - from coaching the Denver Broncos to the New York Giants and then to Atlanta to coach the Falcons - and changed doctors each time. He got regular checkups but didn't ask about cholesterol.

``People need to keep up to date,'' Reeves said. ``If you've ever had a heart problem, or you have some of those risk factors - if someone in your family has had it, you have diabetes, or smoke or have high cholesterol - get checked out. Know what the latest research tells you about heart disease.

``When you look at it, over 300,000 people a year die from heart attacks,'' he added. ``It's a silent killer. They didn't know what the symptoms were or it was the first time they had the symptoms and all of a sudden they're gone.''

Are you at risk?

You're considered at risk for heart disease if you fall into two or more of the following categories:

high LDL cholesterol (above 160 mg/dl);

smoker;

high blood pressure;

diabetic;

men over 45 years old and women over 55;

heart disease struck your father, brother or son before age 55, or your mother, sister or daughter before age 65;

low HDL cholesterol (less than 35 mg/dl).

Source: ``Crossing the Goal Line: Dan Reeves' Playbook for Surviving Heart Disease.''

What to ask your doctor

The American Heart Association says cardiovascular diseases kill one person every 33 seconds in the United States. Coronary heart disease accounts for half of those deaths. Many never even knew they had a problem. Here are some questions to ask your doctor:

Am I at risk for heart disease?

What is my total cholesterol level? What is my good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol level?

What are my cholesterol goals? LDL? HDL? Total?

Should I be taking medication?

What can you tell me about the latest research? If you don't understand the answers or the doctor won't answer the questions to your satisfaction, don't be afraid to talk to another doctor.

To find out more about heart disease, the American Heart Association has an extensive clearinghouse of information at www.americanheart.org, or call them at [phone].

Sources: ``Crossing the Goal Line: Dan Reeves' Playbook for Surviving Heart Disease''; American Heart Association; and Dr. P.K. Shah, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, 2 Boxes

Photo: (1--Cover--Color) A new game plan

NFL coach Dan Reeves calls the plays to battle heart disease

(2--3) Football coach Dan Reeves, who had bypass surgery Dec. 15 of last year, now helps others manage their heart-disease risk. Shown coaching the Denver Broncos in 1989, top, Reeves first learned that he had a problem with cholesterol and arterial blockage the following year.

Box: (1) Are you at risk? (See text)

(2) What to ask your doctor (See text)