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Is Excessive Retention Of Fluid In Body Of A 90 Year Old Harmful?
my mom has congestive heart failure and atrial fibrilation. she has excess fluid that the lacex is not helping. she was advised by a visiting nurse to go to the hospital and refused. she is 90 years old. what happens if she does not get rid of the fluid?
Fri, 25 Jul 2014
Thank you for the query.
As per the information provided, your mother is 90yrs old, suffering from Congestive cardiac failure and atrial fibrillation, and having a fluid overload (despite taking Frusemide-Lasix).
Congestive cardiac failure implies a heart which is progressively failing and unable to do its proper function of pumping blood. Usually, the normal heart has a capacity to pump blood, which decreases in a failing heart. In such a situation if we add excess load to the diseased heart (for eg fluid overload), the situation may worsen. Since oral Frusemide is not working in her case, intravenous frusemide may be needed. She also needs to undergo an echocardiography to assess her ejection fraction, though in her case it is all the more difficult since she is also having Atrial fibrillation.
In such a situation it is important to restrict her intake of fluid to 1-1.2 Litres/day. Also it is important to restrict her dietary salt (provide she is not having hyponatremia or low sodium). I would advise you to take her to the physician atleast once, since her drug regimen should be reviewed. Drugs like Spironolactone or Eplerenone may be added which may help in cardiac failure. Also intravenous frusemide may be administered during her visit.
Hope this helps you out.
Regards,
Dr Ayusmati Thakur
As per the information provided, your mother is 90yrs old, suffering from Congestive cardiac failure and atrial fibrillation, and having a fluid overload (despite taking Frusemide-Lasix).
Congestive cardiac failure implies a heart which is progressively failing and unable to do its proper function of pumping blood. Usually, the normal heart has a capacity to pump blood, which decreases in a failing heart. In such a situation if we add excess load to the diseased heart (for eg fluid overload), the situation may worsen. Since oral Frusemide is not working in her case, intravenous frusemide may be needed. She also needs to undergo an echocardiography to assess her ejection fraction, though in her case it is all the more difficult since she is also having Atrial fibrillation.
In such a situation it is important to restrict her intake of fluid to 1-1.2 Litres/day. Also it is important to restrict her dietary salt (provide she is not having hyponatremia or low sodium). I would advise you to take her to the physician atleast once, since her drug regimen should be reviewed. Drugs like Spironolactone or Eplerenone may be added which may help in cardiac failure. Also intravenous frusemide may be administered during her visit.
Hope this helps you out.
Regards,
Dr Ayusmati Thakur
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