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Queen guitarist Brian May reveals he was 'very near death' after a heart attack

The 72-year-old Queen guitarist revealed he suffered a heart attack while also dealing with a 'severely compressed' sciatic nerve.
Credit: AP
Brian May of Queen attends a press conference ahead of the Rhapsody Tour at a hotel in Seoul Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.

Brian May is recovering from a heart attack and revealed that he "could've died" if doctors hadn't discovered he had several congested arteries. 

On Sunday, the Queen guitarist posted a video on his Instagram filling fans in on exactly what happened to him over the past month. 

May, 72, explained that it all began several weeks ago when he injured himself while gardening. They initially believed he had ripped a muscle in his butt, then discovered a week later that he actually had a "severely compressed" sciatic nerve. 

The guitarist explained the pain was "excruciating" and like "putting a screwdriver in my back." 

While still dealing with that pain, May said that he also suffered a "small heart attack," with around 40 minutes of pain and chest tightness. 

In the video, May recounted how his own doctor drove him to the hospital, where they discovered he had three congested arteries that were in danger of blocking the blood supply to his heart.   

While some suggested he have open heart surgery, the guitarist explained that he opted to have stents put in instead. May explained that he walked out with a heart that's "very strong now."

"I had no idea, I had great electro-cardiograms, nothing could tell me that I was about to be in real, real trouble cause I could've died from that, the blockages that were there," he described. 

May told fans that he's in good shape now and there's no need for anyone to panic about him or his health. He added that one important lesson he's learned is that what seems to be a very healthy heart may not be. 

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"I'm incredibly grateful that I now have a life to lead again. I was actually very near death because of [my heart]...but the pain that I had was from something completely different. Funny how some things work," he said.

Credit: AP
Brian May of Queen attends a press conference ahead of the Rhapsody Tour at a hotel in Seoul Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.

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