How long have you been experiencing cardiovascular symptoms?

I was 46 and just felt sick - nausea, sweating and then the left arm. . . . I was at work and walked over to my manager and before I could say anything he said to me, "You look lousy - go home!" As I was leaving the office, I took a detour to the warehouse and grabbed a couple of aspirin to chew on. I decided it was probably nothing and I would drive to my GP's office. Oh, did I forget to say I smoked a few cigarettes to calm my nerves on my drive?
Both grandfathers died from heart disease, my father had four heart attacks before the fifth one killed him. My older brother just had a quadruple bypass that spring before he was murdered at 9/11. Later that spring my oldest brother was a surgeon in the operating room waiting for his next scheduled patient when he turned to his anesthesiologist and said, "Get me to the ER I am having a . . . ." He dropped dead on the floor, fortunately he was resuscitated and is still with us today.
So yea, I knew the symptoms. But I still smoked and ate any and everything. 25 years later I have had two stent placements, lost a total of 80 pounds, probably eat healthier than 95% of people reading this article and I work out religiously five days a week.