Ray Romano Underwent Heart Surgery For '90 Percent Blockage' in Artery

While appearing on Monday's episode of the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast, the actor shared that he recently had heart surgery after doctors found a "90 percent blockage" in his "main artery."

"I just had to have a stent put in. I had 90 percent blockage," Romano, 65, recalled. "I got kinda lucky that we found it. I had 90 percent blockage in the main artery, what they call the 'widowmaker.'"

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a "widowmaker" heart attack occurs "when you have a blockage in the biggest artery in your heart."

Romano said he's suffered from high cholesterol for 20 years, however, he always declined to go on medication and instead tried to lower his cholesterol through his diet. But the "Everybody Loves Raymond" alum said it wasn't effective in the long term.

"Every time, I said, 'Let me do it myself, let me do it myself,'" he told Maron. "I would go home, and I would eat right, not vegan, but I would eat a little healthier and get it down a couple ticks. …"

"I go back, and it was 280. Now it's 220. I go, 'Ah!'" Romano continued. "And he'd go, 'OK, but now you gotta get it down more,' and I'd go home and think I was hot s---. I got it down already, so I'd start cheating, cheating. And that was the cycle."

The stand-up comedian added, "Still [my doctor] would tell me, 'Look, just because your high cholesterol doesn't necessarily mean you're in danger, but we'd like it lower. You know everything else checks out.'"

Romano said that was the situation for "15,16" years ... until doctors discovered the blockage, and he had the stent put in.

"Now ... I'm on the meds, and my cholesterol dropped right way," he shared, admitting, "If I could go back 20 years ago, I would have gotten on the meds, you know?"

"It's hard for me to sustain that diet stuff," he added.

However, while the medication is helping his cholesterol, Romano said he's now pre-diabetic.

"Here's the kicker," he told Maron. "So, I'm on the meds, and it's got me all down, you know. So, I figure, 'Oh now, I can enjoy and go eat the food.' My sugar level's up now! ... I'm on the pre-diabetic side."

While speaking to Entertainment Tonight earlier this month, the Emmy winner recalled suffering from chest pains during filming for his upcoming movie, "Somewhere in Queens."

"I called my agent at one in the morning because I couldn't sleep, I go, 'I can't do it, can't do this,'" Romano said. "Because -- I'm not joking -- I had to go to my cardiologist in New York and get on the treadmill and do a stress test because I was getting chest pains."