Peloton Responds to Death of 'Sex and the City' Character in First Episode of 'And Just Like That...'

This article contains a major spoiler from the first episode of And Just Like That...

Peloton is speaking out after a cameo in Thursday's series premiere of the Sex and the City revival And Just Like That... on HBO Max.

The episode finds Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) in wedded bliss with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), only for their happiness to come to an abrupt halt when Big, a.k.a. John James Preston, suffers a fatal heart attack after a 45-minute ride on his at-home Peloton bike.

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a member of Peloton's health and wellness advisory council and a preventative cardiologist, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times on Thursday that while she's "sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack," the fact that he was on the exercise bike just beforehand has little to do with his death.

For more on And Just Like That… and other top stories, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day.

"Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks — and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in Season 6," the statement continued, referring to Big's heart procedure in the 11th episode of Season 6, titled "The Domino Effect."

"These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event," Steinbaum said.

Leading up to that cardiac event, Big is seen smoking a cigar on the same evening, which prompts Carrie to observe that he's treating himself to his "weekly cigar" and his workout routine "on the same night" (Big replies to this in his trademark fashion, "I'm all in, baby!").

"More than 80% of all cardiac-related deaths are preventable through lifestyle, diet and exercise modifications," Peloton's statement to the Times continued. "And while 25% of heart attacks each year are in patients who already had one (like Mr. Big), even then they are very, very treatable."

"The lesson here is, KNOW YOUR NUMBERS! It's always important to talk to your doctor, get tested, and have a healthy prevention strategy. The good news is Peloton helps you track heart rate while you ride, so you can do it safely," the statement concluded.

In episode 2 of the series, which also dropped this week, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve (David Eigenberg) discuss whether Big should have been on "that bike," which is never mentioned by name but clearly seen in Carrie and Big's lavish apartment.

"He was on that bike for over a thousand rides," Miranda says as they prepare for Big's funeral. "He got the OK from his cardiologist. Exercise is good for the heart."

RELATED VIDEO: Sex and the City Stars Are Back on the Red Carpet for World Premiere of Their New Revival Show

Also on Thursday, Buzzfeed News reported that just like viewers, the exercise company didn't know that Big would die — nor did it know how prominently its bike would be featured in the scene.

Peloton reportedly did, however, know that real instructor Jess King would be playing a fictional trainer named Allegra whom Big had somewhat of a crush on, prompting him to get on the bike for an intense workout just before his heart attack.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"HBO procured the Peloton Bike on their own," Peloton spokesperson Denise Kelly told the outlet. "Peloton was aware that a Bike would be used in the episode and that Jess King would be portraying a fictional Peloton instructor."

"Due to confidentiality reasons, HBO did not disclose the larger context surrounding the scene to Peloton in advance," Kelly added.

A representative for Peloton did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Buzzfeed also noted that Peloton's stock took a nosedive on Thursday. The company's stock plummeted to $40.70 at market close that day, representing an 11.35 percent drop in value.

New episodes of And Just Like That... will premiere every Thursday on HBO Max into the new year.