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question about congestive heart failure
Has anyone had an echo stress test that has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure? When they done my stress test my BP was 128/89 before the test and after the test it was 148/76. Why would my top # go up and my bottom # go down? Anyone know or have experience with this? I have gained 30 lbs of edema in 3 weeks. It is really bad in my upper abdomen and its firm. It's really bad in my legs, ankles, and feet and it pits horribly in my legs. Please give me an anwser or suggestion if you have any. Thanks, I am going crazy
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
Stress echo is a sensitive test to pick up any coronary artery disease which may not manifest itself during the rest time but does during the exercise or post exercise. The reason is that normally at the time of exercise the coronary artery dilates and is able to deliver the required amount of blood to the ventricles. However, this doesn’t happen if the coronaries are blocked with atherosclerotic plaques. Hence, stress echo or for that matter any stress like jogging, anxiety, walking etc can depict/worsen the CHF also. Normally, both the systolic/diastolic BP rises after exercise. However, sometimes there can be a rise in the systolic BP only. Hence, nothing much to worry on that front. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.
Stress echo is a sensitive test to pick up any coronary artery disease which may not manifest itself during the rest time but does during the exercise or post exercise. The reason is that normally at the time of exercise the coronary artery dilates and is able to deliver the required amount of blood to the ventricles. However, this doesn’t happen if the coronaries are blocked with atherosclerotic plaques. Hence, stress echo or for that matter any stress like jogging, anxiety, walking etc can depict/worsen the CHF also. Normally, both the systolic/diastolic BP rises after exercise. However, sometimes there can be a rise in the systolic BP only. Hence, nothing much to worry on that front. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
I sincerely feel that you should see a cardiologist as you’ve mentioned that there’s been a considerable weight gain in the past few weeks which is an indicator of your failing heart. You might need a change in the medications to take care of the fluid retention which you have got. Probably, you’ll need an increment in the dose of diuretics (to remove extra fluids) and some drugs to improve the pumping capacity of your heart. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.
I sincerely feel that you should see a cardiologist as you’ve mentioned that there’s been a considerable weight gain in the past few weeks which is an indicator of your failing heart. You might need a change in the medications to take care of the fluid retention which you have got. Probably, you’ll need an increment in the dose of diuretics (to remove extra fluids) and some drugs to improve the pumping capacity of your heart. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.
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