Did Stress Kill Ken Lay?

Posted on July 7, 2006

There has been quite a bit of speculation about what caused Ken Lay's heart attack: was it the stress of waiting until October to hear that he had been sentenced (most likely) to life in prison? An autopsy reveals the answer: not likely. Although it was not publicized, Lay suffered from arteriosclerosis for years and had been on an aggresive treatment regimen since the mid-1990's. In other words, the stress didn't help, but it was his underlying clogged arteries that killed him.

Lay, who was at his vacation home in Aspen, Colo., when he was stricken, also had a little-publicized history of heart problems. He died of "severe coronary-artery disease," a condition characterized by clogged arteries, according to the Mesa County coroner, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News.
And ABC News reported that Lay had already suffered heart attacks, and had portable heart defibrillators in his houses and on his plane. He had been taking statins to lower his cholesterol, and, about five years ago, his doctors inserted a stent, apparently as a preventive measure.
All these medical details of one prominent man's death could help ease the public perception that stress by itself could bring on a fatal heart attack.

Associates reported to journalists that (pre-scandal) Lay had portable heart defibrillators stored everywhere he might be, from his plane to his office, to his homes because he knew he was at risk for a heart attack. His doctors were so concerned about his clogged arteries that they inserted a mesh stent, which Vice-President Dick Cheney also has. He also took cholesterol-lowering drugs and aspirin. There's no question that Lay was under a great deal of stress in the last two years, but cardiologists noted that the deaths from stress usually only occur in people who already have arteriosclerosis.

The American Heart Association has more information about heart disease, arteriosclerosis and work-related stress on its website.