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Are Dropped Oxygen Levels, Irregular Heart With Stable BP After Heart Surgery Serious?
My friend just had heart surgery Monday. He was diagnosed with an aneurysm on the heart. Surgery went well, was out of ICU last night but today is back in ICU with these symptoms: Oxygen levels have dropped, heart is irregular but blood pressure stable. On meds to try to get everything back to normal. He is at Oschner Hospital in New Orleans getting the best of care. His daughter is a Registered Nurse who has worked with Cardiologists in San Francisco for 14 years. Please give me your input. I just met this wonderful man and very worried at this time if he will make it. Thanks!
T.V.
T.V.
Mon, 3 Feb 2014
hello and welcome
-after heart surgery there is lots of change in body physiology
-after surgery - dropping of saturation is due to accumulation of fluid in the lungs as a result of heart dysfunction. this might be serious depending on the severity of the drop and the underlying cause. a chest X-ray and echocardiogram can give us a diagnosis of underlying cause
-irregular heart rate- mostly due to atrial fibrillation - is relatively common after cardiac surgery (occuring in 20-40% patients). if there is no cardiac dysfunction- the outcomes are good, and rhythm usually reverts to normal. in patients with left ventricular dysfunction- atrial fibrillation requires additional therapy
-after heart surgery there is lots of change in body physiology
-after surgery - dropping of saturation is due to accumulation of fluid in the lungs as a result of heart dysfunction. this might be serious depending on the severity of the drop and the underlying cause. a chest X-ray and echocardiogram can give us a diagnosis of underlying cause
-irregular heart rate- mostly due to atrial fibrillation - is relatively common after cardiac surgery (occuring in 20-40% patients). if there is no cardiac dysfunction- the outcomes are good, and rhythm usually reverts to normal. in patients with left ventricular dysfunction- atrial fibrillation requires additional therapy
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