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Had Pneumonia After Broken Hip. Got Treatment. How To Improve Heart Rate?
Question: My mother broke her hip and got pnuemonia in the hospital which caused fluid on the lungs. That is being cleared sucessfully but the doctor said her heart is weak and is at 10%. What treatment can she get for this? Can she recover to where her heart rate improves? She is 84.
Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic
We are sorry to see the state of your mother...
Age in the eighties / function of only 10% / with failure / with infection – the only option is to treat the infection and failure aggressively, by 'medical' means.
The chances of recovery to normalcy are practically, if not theoretically, meagre / remote.
[Heart transplantation is the only theoretical option for this poor function – and this is not feasible because of age]
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
Welcome to Health Care Magic
We are sorry to see the state of your mother...
Age in the eighties / function of only 10% / with failure / with infection – the only option is to treat the infection and failure aggressively, by 'medical' means.
The chances of recovery to normalcy are practically, if not theoretically, meagre / remote.
[Heart transplantation is the only theoretical option for this poor function – and this is not feasible because of age]
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Doctor - I had hoped for better news but I defintiely want the facts.
I know she would not get back to 'normal' but could she, in theory, have
a life with reduced capacity - the infection DID get cleared the fluid is off her lungs - so the main issue now is the heart's ability to function. She is not mobile - would the physiotherapy to get mobile be too much for her heart now? IF she is not able to walk, could she sitll survive and go home, with care at home, with her heart only at 10-15%? ANy chance she could get soem energy back if she can manage to eat more? Right now she is not eating much.
Thanks so much for your answers.
I know she would not get back to 'normal' but could she, in theory, have
a life with reduced capacity - the infection DID get cleared the fluid is off her lungs - so the main issue now is the heart's ability to function. She is not mobile - would the physiotherapy to get mobile be too much for her heart now? IF she is not able to walk, could she sitll survive and go home, with care at home, with her heart only at 10-15%? ANy chance she could get soem energy back if she can manage to eat more? Right now she is not eating much.
Thanks so much for your answers.
Hello,
I appreciate your regard and care of your mother - good son and blessed mother indeed! Not common, nowadays!
Men and Medicine have limitations...
It may not improve / it may not also worsen too for some time to come -
Active / aggressive physiotherapy puts strain on the heart.
Passive exercises help - in preventing clot formation in calf veins / avoid aspiration / avoid bed sores and so on.
Sitting in a chair for some time is better than lying all the time.
Sleep with head end elevated / turn every hour or two /
Small frequent feeds better than fewer large ones / last meal 2 to 3 hours before sleep.
Can supplement vitamin
She can go home - if the failure is controlled and infection could be cleared.
Care taker strain and fatigue are to be kept in mind.
Assistance from trained personnel will be of great help - at least during the initial transition and during the day time.
Eating, if it improves, gives a general sense of well being - does not help the heart much > Be ware of salt or fluid overload.
God bless her...
.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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