Submitted by Dr T on December 9, 2010 – 6:52pm in Cardiac Risks Question: Hi, my dad is 56 years old with diabetes and high blood pressure. Yesterday he was supposed to have a bipolar hip replacement and after the anesthesia as they turned him over to start the incision his heart stopped for 2 seconds and they had to …
Cardiac ECHO measurements
Submitted by Dr T on December 8, 2010 – 6:42pm in Other Question: We have some Cardiologists who dictate E:A ratio and some who also in the same report say E:A and later E:a, or E/A and E/a. I’ve searched but don’t find anything conclusive as to why anything else would be correct other than E:A or E/A. Could I …
Heavy heart beat and smoking
Submitted by Dr T on December 8, 2010 – 10:11am in Your heart rhythm Question: i am 23 years old and i smoke i have smoked for 13 years and i dont if my heart has something to do with the smoking but everything maybe 3 or 4 times its like my heart stops and feel its different heart beat …
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) PDA accounts for 5 to 10% of congenital heart anomalies; the male: female ratio is 1:3. PDA is very common among premature infants (in 45% with birth weight < 1750 g; in about 80% with birth weight < 1200 g). A significant PDA causes heart failure (HF) in 15% of premature infants with birth weight < …
I am overweight and worried about exercising
Submitted by Dr T on December 7, 2010 – 1:32pm in Cardiac Risks Question: Thank you for taking my question. I am a 35 yo female who has had all the cardiac tests you can imagine. Everything from echoes to a cardiac CTA. All tests were normal. The most recent test (CTA) was one year ago. Since that time I …
Women and Heart disease facts
Submitted by Dr T on December 6, 2010 – 5:30pm Question: I am a woman and still in my forties. Can I be at risk for heart disease? One of the problems of medicine includes certain fallacies, such as that women are protected against heart disease before menopause. Symptoms related to coronary artery disease are not infrequently misinterpreted or even …
What are the Top U.S. Hospitals for Heart Care
Submitted by Dr T on December 6, 2010 – 3:53pm in Other Question: If I decide to have an operation for my aortic valve problems what are the top hospitals for this type of surgery in the US? Your recovery depends on the type of surgery that most likely involves dividing your breast bone (sternum) to get to your …
How dangerous is it to have Cancer of the esophagus?
Submitted by Dr T on December 5, 2010 – 3:32pm in Other This weekend I learned that in January one of my patients, Bill G, had passed away. When I first saw him in 1983, he was referred to me as a last ditch treatment effort of what was thought to be an incurable disease: Carcinoma of the esophagus. At …
My Aortic valve is leaking badly
Submitted by Dr T on December 3, 2010 – 7:41pm Question: Three years ago I was diagnosed with severe aortic regurgitation due to a Bisucspid Aortic Valve. I am now 31 years old with a blood pressure stats around 145/50. I’ve always been extremely active playing basketball and lifting weights regularly. Before diagnosis I felt great and had no idea …
I am so worried about my PVCs
Submitted by Dr T on December 3, 2010 – 12:11pm in Your heart rhythm Question: Hi I am a 43 y/o female. I have had PVCs over the past 4-6 years two weeks ago they became frequent actually about 1000 on a halter monitor with a short run of SVT and I had several PACs. ECG normal, echo normal, I …