Aa
Prognosis after heart attack and Cardia arrest
Hi,
My mom had a heart attack. Doctor said one artery is completely gone (I don't know which one) and he cannot revive it even with surgery. He did angioplasty on the other 2 arteries. Sent her home. Her heart pumping capacity was 25% before angioplasty and doctor expected it to go to 35%.
After 2 weeks she had a cardiac arrest. That night she said she was not feeling good. We checked her BP and there was no BP. She was able to talk and walk down a few stairs. We took her to doctor which was 10-15 mins away. There her heart beat stopped and then they revived her with defibrillator. After that they installed a defibrillator pacemaker and sent her home in a few days. All this is in India.
Now she is home, but feels very weak many times a day. Otherwise she is ok. I have a few questions:
1. How can a person have no BP and still be talking and all.
2. Why does she feel weak?
3. Does heart pumping capacity goes down after cardiac arrest?
4. How many arteries does a human heart have. Doc said he fixed her 2 arteries and 1 he cannot. So total 3.
Thanks.
My mom had a heart attack. Doctor said one artery is completely gone (I don't know which one) and he cannot revive it even with surgery. He did angioplasty on the other 2 arteries. Sent her home. Her heart pumping capacity was 25% before angioplasty and doctor expected it to go to 35%.
After 2 weeks she had a cardiac arrest. That night she said she was not feeling good. We checked her BP and there was no BP. She was able to talk and walk down a few stairs. We took her to doctor which was 10-15 mins away. There her heart beat stopped and then they revived her with defibrillator. After that they installed a defibrillator pacemaker and sent her home in a few days. All this is in India.
Now she is home, but feels very weak many times a day. Otherwise she is ok. I have a few questions:
1. How can a person have no BP and still be talking and all.
2. Why does she feel weak?
3. Does heart pumping capacity goes down after cardiac arrest?
4. How many arteries does a human heart have. Doc said he fixed her 2 arteries and 1 he cannot. So total 3.
Thanks.
Relax, probably nothing was wrong... except that she was suffering a heart attack!!
For that reason her heart was extremely weak and could not pump blood enough, in other words she was suffering an acute Heart Failure.
When this happen, accumulation of fluids in the lungs is one of the most common consequences. The good news is that this episode is over, however you should be aware that it might happen again (the fluids in the lungs).
This is one of the reasons to avoid salt, since it promotes liquid accumulation.
Jesus
For that reason her heart was extremely weak and could not pump blood enough, in other words she was suffering an acute Heart Failure.
When this happen, accumulation of fluids in the lungs is one of the most common consequences. The good news is that this episode is over, however you should be aware that it might happen again (the fluids in the lungs).
This is one of the reasons to avoid salt, since it promotes liquid accumulation.
Jesus
Thank you so much for your answers. I will ask her to follow these things.
I have one more question. When she had her angioplasty, things got very complicated. Just after the angioplasty she was having trouble breathing. Water was getting filled up in the lungs. Then they installed external pacemaker. After a few hours, she got better, next day they removed the temporary external pacemaker. I want to understand what went wrong on that day.
Doctors in India usually don't tell you what exactly went wrong. May be they have reasons.
I have one more question. When she had her angioplasty, things got very complicated. Just after the angioplasty she was having trouble breathing. Water was getting filled up in the lungs. Then they installed external pacemaker. After a few hours, she got better, next day they removed the temporary external pacemaker. I want to understand what went wrong on that day.
Doctors in India usually don't tell you what exactly went wrong. May be they have reasons.
Weakness and more often tiredness, are classical problems of heart patients.
My advise, that worked for me:
1) Be sure that she eats properly, 5 small meals /day.
2) Be sure that she is properly hydrated.
3) Reduce, or better suppress the use of salt.
4) Be sure that she sleep at least 7 hours/day. Use sleep pills if required.
5) Be sure that she rest horizontally at least 10 hours/day (including the 7 hours of sleep).
6) Be sure that she is not in a hot or cold environment.
7) Get her a good complex of Vitamins B1,B6,B12. In long diseases, we loose them.
8) Control her blood pressure, if it is too low, it can be the reason for weakness. Not every body are able to accept the same dose of low pressure medicaments.
She should try to do some walk every day, but not more that what she can do comfortably. Start with what ever walk she can, and increase 5 minutes per week. Always in an horizontal level and avoiding temperature extremes. I used the trick of going to a commercial center to do my walking.. perfectly flat and air conditioned... but it should be walk ... looking at the shops it can be the extra gift after the workout.
If ever she reaches 30 minutes, try to increase a bit the speed.
Jesus
My advise, that worked for me:
1) Be sure that she eats properly, 5 small meals /day.
2) Be sure that she is properly hydrated.
3) Reduce, or better suppress the use of salt.
4) Be sure that she sleep at least 7 hours/day. Use sleep pills if required.
5) Be sure that she rest horizontally at least 10 hours/day (including the 7 hours of sleep).
6) Be sure that she is not in a hot or cold environment.
7) Get her a good complex of Vitamins B1,B6,B12. In long diseases, we loose them.
8) Control her blood pressure, if it is too low, it can be the reason for weakness. Not every body are able to accept the same dose of low pressure medicaments.
She should try to do some walk every day, but not more that what she can do comfortably. Start with what ever walk she can, and increase 5 minutes per week. Always in an horizontal level and avoiding temperature extremes. I used the trick of going to a commercial center to do my walking.. perfectly flat and air conditioned... but it should be walk ... looking at the shops it can be the extra gift after the workout.
If ever she reaches 30 minutes, try to increase a bit the speed.
Jesus
Thanks for the reply.
What can be done for the weakness? Can exercise help?
Mary310, yes her heart pumping capacity is low. And she is in constant touch with her doctor. They tell her that she is ok. But many times in a day she has these episodes of feeling weak.
What can be done for the weakness? Can exercise help?
Mary310, yes her heart pumping capacity is low. And she is in constant touch with her doctor. They tell her that she is ok. But many times in a day she has these episodes of feeling weak.
sounds like conjestive heart failure.ask her doctor to check for that.and yes you can live without one artery.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Congestive Heart Failure Community
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.
