Published: August 3, 2026
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
For a year and a half, tiredness was just part of Randy Hamilton’s life. He’d get home from work, eat dinner and be in bed by 7:30 or 8 p.m. — and still never feel rested. He didn’t have chest pain. He didn’t have shortness of breath. He just felt worn out, and it was starting to cost him time with his family.
“I was missing various activities with the family due to my fatigue,” said Randy, who is chief administrative officer at Norton Audubon Hospital.
It turned out that persistent fatigue was one of the only coronary artery disease symptoms he had — and it was significant enough to lead to a lifesaving diagnosis.
Coronary artery disease is one of the most common types of heart disease. It occurs when plaque — a buildup of cholesterol, fat and calcium — narrows the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to your heart. A blocked artery restricts blood flow, potentially leading to chest pain (angina), shortness of breath or a heart attack.
Coronary artery disease symptoms often do not appear — or are so subtle — patients don’t realize there is an issue until the disease is in its advanced stages.
At a February 2026 check-up through N Good Health, Norton Healthcare’s employee wellness program, Randy brought up the fatigue with his primary care physician, Evan M. Davidson, M.D., a family medicine specialist with Norton Community Medical Associates. After an evaluation and interview, Dr. Davidson ordered a round of tests, checking Randy’s vitamin D, thyroid function, cholesterol and testosterone.
Dr. Davidson also recommended a coronary artery calcium scan. This test is optional — it was Randy’s choice whether to schedule it. Because it’s typically used for screening rather than diagnosing a specific issue, most insurance plans don’t cover it, so he was responsible for the cost out of pocket. Randy scheduled the appointment immediately.
“If it would help Dr. Davidson figure out what was going on, I was going to get that test,” he said.
The set of test results told a fuller story: Low vitamin D, high thyroid levels, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low testosterone — and a high calcium score on the scan Randy chose to schedule. That combination was enough to prompt referrals to both cardiology and endocrinology.
Craig L. Tucker, M.D., cardiologist with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, saw Randy within a week of receiving the calcium score results. Dr. Tucker was surprised that fatigue was the only symptom — there was no chest pain, no shortness of breath, none of the more commonly recognized coronary artery disease symptoms.
Because high cholesterol runs in Randy’s family, Dr. Tucker ordered a lipoprotein test to better understand his cholesterol history, along with a CT angiogram, or CTA, for a closer look at his arteries. CTA is a noninvasive imaging test that combines a standard CT scan with an injection of contrast dye. It produces highly detailed, 3D images of blood vessels and tissues to help doctors locate blockages, aneurysms, blood clots or tears. It is often a key tool in evaluating heart health.
The CTA results came back the next day: more than 90% blockage of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Dr. Tucker scheduled Randy for a left heart catheterization, with the possibility of a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure, that Thursday.
PCI, also known as coronary angioplasty, is a minimally invasive procedure used to open a blocked or narrowed coronary artery. A tiny, balloon-tipped catheter and thin wire mesh tube — called a stent — are inserted through an incision in the wrist or groin and guided to the heart. Inflating the balloon compresses plaque and expands the stent to restore blood flow.
Interventional cardiologist Daniel P. Rothchild, M.D., also with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, performed the heart catheterization, which included balloon angioplasty and placement of two stents. The procedure took place on a Thursday afternoon. Randy rested at home Friday through Sunday and was back at work on Monday.
By that first weekend, he already felt the difference.
Where Randy once needed to be in bed by 7:30 or 8 p.m. and still woke up tired, he’s now able to stay up until 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends. His family has noticed the change, too: He’s ready to go out and do things with them again.
Randy’s care didn’t stop with the stents. He now takes a vitamin D supplement and thyroid medication, along with Repatha, a cholesterol-lowering injection, and testosterone injections. All of his levels are back to normal.
“I feel like a new person,” Randy said. “Spending $100 to get a calcium score was the best $100 I have spent in 20 or more years.”
Yearly checkups with your healthcare provider will give a baseline picture of your overall heart health and can detect issues early, which can lead to earlier treatment and better overall health. Knowing your family health history, lifestyle and blood pressure, and whether you have high cholesterol, can guide your healthcare provider’s recommendations.
Randy wants others to hear one message: Don’t skip annual checkups, and don’t ignore how you’re feeling.
“If you don’t feel quite yourself, get checked out; be open and honest with your providers, so they can help navigate your underlying issues,” he said. “We have a wonderful team of providers, and I will be forever grateful. They have given me my life back, full of energy and enjoying time with my family.”