From the articl Doug posted:
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<font color="blue">Stuart Trager, chairman of the Atkins Physicians Council in New York, told the Journal that Atkins' heart disease stemmed from cardiomyopathy, a condition that was thought to result from a viral infection.
Atkins' weight was due to bloating associated with his condition and the time he spent in a coma after his head injury, and he had been much slimmer during most of his life, Trager said.
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Dr. Atkins' heart disease was NOT related to the diet. It was due to a viral infection.