My parents are 78 & 80 y/o. They don't believe in going to the doctor, even when you feel bad, you just get over it. They are both very healthy (or so I thought) Neither takes any meds other than a daily aspirin and multivitamin. I had the opportunity to get them each a Heart View Scan at no cost and it took some doing but talked them into it.
My Dad's came back ok. My Mom's was a different story. >400 calcium level is extremely high and my Mom's level is 1640 and states she has severe extensive arteriosclerosis. My Mom has always exercised, ate healthy, BP always normal, BS always normal, Cholesterol always normal, has never drank, not even carbonated beverages, and never smoked. Her family does have a history of cardiac disease. Her two sisters, her brother, and her mother. Her sister died in her sleep last year in her sleep without any prior symptoms. I'm scared for my Mom. She has agreed to go to a cardiologist. I think she's doing it for my father. They been happily married for 55 years. He still writes her love notes almost everyday. The scan also revealed that she has a cyst in her abdomen.
I would think if it was a mass or tumor it would have said so and not said cyst? It suggested she have an abdominal ultrasound which does sound more like a cyst to me or they would have recommended an abdominal CT don't you think?
Did my Mom develop arteriosclerosis inspite of no risk factors because of her family history? How is it treated? What can I expect. She has had no CP or any symptoms and her mind is still sharp as a tack. This has really thrown me for a loop. Please say a prayer for her. Anybody know of a good cardiologist in Nashville Tenn? Please PM me. Thanks so much.
I guess I don't understand all this CT stuff, pretty expensive, and the only way to really know how the arteries look is to go in there and squirt a little dye down them and take some pic's. I'm guessing that if her echo showed a little mild right atrial enlargement, she may have a mildly dilated right ventrical, which would make sense. But why would be an important question. I don't know too much about these CT's other than I've heard many people say they are done by quacks. My father-in-law went through about the same thing you are seeing your Mom go through, and his said something was "wrong" with his heart too, but his didn't have even a 20% blockage on his heart cath. I hope your Mom's situation is similar in this aspect too.
I'm glad your Dad's heart cath turned out good. I do have alot of faith in the CTA and the cardiologist who reads them. He is one of the top in the country and is well published in the Journals. Thanks for you input anyway, I'll let you guys know what the doc has to say.
My Mom is having a heart cath in the A.M. The doctor told her that if she has less than 50% blockages that he would treat her medically, If the blockages were 50-70% he would do balloon angioplasty and stents. If any blockages are over 70% or if all the arteries are involved but at a lesser percentage then she will be looking at a CABG. She will be staying in the hospital over night tomorrow in any case so I'll be staying with her. We really liked the doctor and have heard alot of good things about him. I'll get back with you guys when I can. Pray for my Mom. Thanks!
I don't know whether to be happy or sad about Mom's heart cath. Left was 20% blocked, Right was 40% blocked and the middle artery had over 50% blockage in two seperate areas. The doctor said he would have stented that middle artery but it was so bent that he couldn't. He said taking the risk of open heart surgery for one artery was not beneficial or something to that effect. The plan is stress treadmill to see how the perfusion is in that one artery and then go from there. For now lower the cholesterol to below normal levels (her cholesterol is already WNL) and an aspirin a day, 30 minutes 3 times a week of exercise to get her heart rate over 100. My mom is 78 y/o, my Dad is 80 y/o and walks 3 miles everyday. My mom is going to get a good stationary bicycle. I have been so tired, not sleeping well. I slept 12 hours last night. I still feel exhausted but I'm sure that's the stress of it all. We still don't know anything about the spot on her liver. I read that alot of elderly people have benign liver cysts that they don't know about until they show up on a CTA so I'm trying not to worry about that yet. One thing at a time........
I don't know whether to be happy or sad about Mom's heart cath. Left was 20% blocked, Right was 40% blocked and the middle artery had over 50% blockage in two seperate areas. The doctor said he would have stented that middle artery but it was so bent that he couldn't. He said taking the risk of open heart surgery for one artery was not beneficial or something to that effect. The plan is stress treadmill to see how the perfusion is in that one artery and then go from there. For now lower the cholesterol to below normal levels (her cholesterol is already WNL) and an aspirin a day, 30 minutes 3 times a week of exercise to get her heart rate over 100. My mom is 78 y/o, my Dad is 80 y/o and walks 3 miles everyday. My mom is going to get a good stationary bicycle. I have been so tired, not sleeping well. I slept 12 hours last night. I still feel exhausted but I'm sure that's the stress of it all. We still don't know anything about the spot on her liver. I read that alot of elderly people have benign liver cysts that they don't know about until they show up on a CTA so I'm trying not to worry about that yet. One thing at a time........
Good to hear the good news. I know you were pretty concerned, but like I had said, I really don't put too much faith in those scans, and "squirting" dye down those arteries really is the only way to know for sure. Seen it personally a few times myself. Most interventionalists won't even mess with a 50% blockage, unless they can isolate reproduceable ischemia at it's location through stress testing, chemical or exercise. It sound like you likely, with risk factor modification and use of a cholesterol lowering agent (which often times are used more for the Triglycerides than the actual total Cholesterol) and some low dose aspirin, should have her around for many more healthy years. A cath with that little blockage for a 78yo woman is remarkable, I rarely see anyone that age who doesn't either end up with a angioplasty, CABG, or medical management for a significant blockage (usually considered anything >70%).
It sound like you likely, with risk factor modification and use of a cholesterol lowering agent (which often times are used more for the Triglycerides than the actual total Cholesterol) and some low dose aspirin, should have her around for many more healthy years. A cath with that little blockage for a 78yo woman is remarkable, I rarely see anyone that age who doesn't either end up with a angioplasty, CABG, or medical management for a significant blockage (usually considered anything >70%).
Doug
Thanks Doug, Your post has made me feel better. I have two questions.
First why would 81mg be better than 325mg of ASA? She was already taking 325mg and the doctor told her to start 81mg not knowing she has already been taking 325mg for years. Also, a large well known hospital here does Robotic Surgery to stent arteries not able to be stented during a heart cath. Any opinions? Thanks.
Thanks Doug, Your post has made me feel better. I have two questions.
First why would 81mg be better than 325mg of ASA? She was already taking 325mg and the doctor told her to start 81mg not knowing she has already been taking 325mg for years. Also, a large well known hospital here does Robotic Surgery to stent arteries not able to be stented during a heart cath. Any opinions? Thanks.
A lot of the recent study info has shown that an 81mg ASA is just as good as a 325 with a decreased risk of bleeding problems, esp. GI Bleeds and there is much lessened Gastric upset. We are now putting more patients on 81mg tabs rather than 325mg tabs.
As far as a robotics surgery thing, I am not too sure about that, it just doesn't sound like anything I'd want to try. I've worked with interventionalists on and off for over 10yrs now, and currently work with a very good interventionalist, and I'd place my life in his hands way before some robot. There's just something to be said for a human touch, so to speak. Hope all stays well for you and your mother.
SEOBowhntr
180 Posts
Dutch,
I guess I don't understand all this CT stuff, pretty expensive, and the only way to really know how the arteries look is to go in there and squirt a little dye down them and take some pic's. I'm guessing that if her echo showed a little mild right atrial enlargement, she may have a mildly dilated right ventrical, which would make sense. But why would be an important question. I don't know too much about these CT's other than I've heard many people say they are done by quacks. My father-in-law went through about the same thing you are seeing your Mom go through, and his said something was "wrong" with his heart too, but his didn't have even a 20% blockage on his heart cath. I hope your Mom's situation is similar in this aspect too.
Good Luck,
Doug