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Recurring Episodes Of Congestive Heart Failures. Suggestions To Prevent Future Occurrence?
My 89 year old mother has went into congestive heart failure 4 times in the last 3months. The 1st time she was sent home from the hospital even though her abdomen & legs were swollen. She had been given 3days of iv fluids and her heart was unable to get rid of the excess. I took her back to the hospital the next day and lasics was given to flush out The fluid. She had a flair up of diverticulitis 2 weeks later and the drastic fluid loss caused cgf. During that stay, they decided to give her a colonoscopy to determine if her diverticulosis was causing her anemia. The prep was terrible and the stress placed on her body caused her to go into cgf afib . A few weeks later she pulled a muscle in bed and suffered great blood loss (she was taking coumarin) and once again went into afib and cgf. She is presently doing well but I want to know as much as I can about cgf and if you have any suggestions on preventing future episodes.
Wed, 9 Jan 2013
Hi,
Welcome to HCM,
After going through history of your mother she is suffering fron congestive cardiac failure and treatment depeds on cause of heart failure most commonly due to Ischemic heart disease.
In such patients IV fluids are given very care fully because they can precipitate heart failure.
She is also having anemia which must be corrected as this can again precipitate failure.
If she is taking anticogulants her PT must be monitored.
If such patients develop atrial fibrillation this also aggravate heart failure as blood is not pumped from atria to ventricle properly.
If she is on drugs she must take drugs prpperly and regularly, her salt intake and fluid intake must be restricted as per advise of treating doctor.
Please also avoid stress and physical exertion as for as possible.
He 2 D Echocardiography can give idea about functioning of heart, and her renal function also need sto be taken care of.
If she requres anti arryrhmic drugs and/or pace maker with AICD may be considered.
Take care
Good Luck.
Welcome to HCM,
After going through history of your mother she is suffering fron congestive cardiac failure and treatment depeds on cause of heart failure most commonly due to Ischemic heart disease.
In such patients IV fluids are given very care fully because they can precipitate heart failure.
She is also having anemia which must be corrected as this can again precipitate failure.
If she is taking anticogulants her PT must be monitored.
If such patients develop atrial fibrillation this also aggravate heart failure as blood is not pumped from atria to ventricle properly.
If she is on drugs she must take drugs prpperly and regularly, her salt intake and fluid intake must be restricted as per advise of treating doctor.
Please also avoid stress and physical exertion as for as possible.
He 2 D Echocardiography can give idea about functioning of heart, and her renal function also need sto be taken care of.
If she requres anti arryrhmic drugs and/or pace maker with AICD may be considered.
Take care
Good Luck.
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