Country Music Star Faces Life-Threatening Heart Condition at 28: 'It's Terrifying'

A country music artist named Ashley Cooke recently shared on social media all the various things happening in her life, and there's quite a bit going on.

A 28-year-old shared that she's experiencing a successful year in her career, and she definitely achieved some accomplishments—but wow, she's gone through a tough time with health issues affecting both her family and herself lately. As she went over everything on TikTok, she revealed she was recently diagnosed with a heart problem.

Cooke provided more information during an interview with Taste of Country.

It's a genetic condition known as Brugada syndrome," she said to the website. "Many of my family members died suddenly, despite being healthy and young because of it. It's really frightening.

The Mayo Clinic says That Brugada syndrome "is a uncommon yet possibly deadly cardiac arrhythmia disorder that can occasionally be passed down genetically."

It notes that individuals diagnosed with Brugada syndrome face "a higher likelihood of experiencing irregular heartbeats originating from the heart's lower chambers (the ventricles)." This condition may result in an unusual heartbeat within the ventricles, potentially causing ventricular fibrillation (V-fib), which can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, typically happening when a person is resting or sleeping.

So, definitely very scary.

Cooke shared with Taste of Country that she had several EKG tests before receiving the diagnosis and is currently consulting with a heart specialist to learn more about her health issue.

The most unsettling aspect is that it truly doesn't affect much of my everyday routine," she stated. "What makes Brugada syndrome so frightening is that it feels like an invisible presence surrounding you. There are no warning signals or symptoms. It's one of those conditions where, without notice, something within your heart can abruptly cease, leaving you with nothing left.

It's frightening," she continued. "It doesn't affect anything I do, or how I operate, until one day, it might.

All of this unfolds as her family faces ongoing health challenges. She mentioned that her father has been diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time, and her mother recently suffered a near-fatal heart attack.