Bill Weir, ABC Anchor, Learns On-Air of Increased Heart Attack Risk During Medical Segment

During an on-air discussion of a series of common medical tests he’d undergone- including a full-body scan not normally recommended by doctors in otherwise healthy individuals- Nightline anchor Bill Weir learned of a potentially life-threatening arterial issue he would not have otherwise known about had he not done the story.

44-year-old Weir said the he believed tests would show he was in “peak condition” due to a rigorous workout schedule among other “healthy lifestyle” choices, but learned otherwise when he received the results back from the series of tests. Dr. David Agus- who has treated the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs as well as Lance Armstrong- initially asked Weir to turn off the cameras to discuss the results of his tests, but Weir and the crew insisted they keep rolling.

Weir said that despite the decision, he froze up when learning there was some concern about his testing results. He explains:

“I was blown away… Turns out, that rigorous exercise early and then 10 hours of sitting is as dangerous as or more dangerous than smoking.”

Testing revealed lesions in his arteries, ones Dr. Agus believe may put him at risk for a future cardiac incident. Of finding the condition, Weir said:

“It was the scariest and most fortunate moment of my life, and it happened completely by accident… If I hadn’t been assigned this story, who knows when I would have seen a doctor again?”

While the segment may have certainly turned some Americans on to the benefits of full-body scans, some doctors feel the discovery is not necessarily as serious as one might think and stressing over the issue could cause undue worry for Weir. Yale cardiologist Dr. Harlan Krumholz indicated that the discovery of one hardened artery is “more likely to alarm Weir and create anxiety and fear than it is to help save his life.”