PLEASE SOMEONE - PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION

[Bev170]

Heart failure, atrial fibrillation, hypertension and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy are the conditions that my 100-lb., 90-year-old mother has suffered. Her systolic blood pressure ranges from 110 to 134, but her dystolic pressure has been in the range of 47-56 for the past two weeks.  What are your thoughts on the reason for her dystolic pressure being so low?  

[Momto3]

How does your mom feel?  Is she very symptomatic?  I have heard that hospitalizations tend to increase as the CHF worsens.  Not sure that is always true.  

Is she taking the amiodorone for the afib?

[Bev170]

Thanks for responding.  My mother has been in the hospital 3 times in the past year with her heart condition.  I called the doctor to tell him about the diastolic pressure.  He said, "I just do not want to put her back in the hospital."  He said, "Hang in there."  Getting him to tell me details of my mother's situation has been like getting blood out of a turnip.  Finally he did acknowledge last August that my mother is at end of life.  My mother is on amiodarone.  If you are familiar with this medication, it is administered "only" in life-threatening situations.  My mother was placed on it last August when the medical team wondered if she was going to make it out of the hospital.  

[Momto3]

Sorry to hear of your mom's heart problems.  I'm not sure about the difference in the systolic and diastolic readings.  Has the doctor said anything about the lower diastolic BP?  I think it is fairly common for older adults to have elevated systolic pressure.  Is your mom on BP medications?  Is she comfortable?