Reply by the Cardiologist :
< Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com.
You have family stressers and are suffering from depression. You have hypothyroidism. You mentioned you had heart failure without congestion.
-Have you undergone a 2D ECHO?
-What are your symptoms?
-Do you have shortness of breath or chest pain on exertion or at rest?
-Have you ever had a heart attack?
-Did your heart problems start after the family problems began 1 year back?
If you have your 2D Echo report kindly upload it and I will be able to opine better.
Regards,
Dr Vivek Mahajan,
DM Cardiology. >>
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Your consult has been reviewed and due to its specific nature, we have requested for a Cardiologist's opinion. Hence we have upgraded your consult FREE to a 35$ specialist consult. As a result there might be further delay as the MD will need to review your case.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Wish you good health! Thank you. In-house Physician, The DoctorSpring Team.
Patient replied :
I did have a 2D echocardiogram and that is when the Dr. told me that the lower left quadrant of my heart is not working as hard as the rest and that when the blood comes in to my heart on the upper right side, the valve does not close completely. I had PVC's (premature ventrical contractions) and was diagnosed with that a few years old patientago, The problems with my heart started after the problems with my family. When the problems started, I was devastated, felt like the wind had been knocked outof me. Couldn't breate deeply and had pain in my chest that lasted for weeks. When I exercise I really have a hard time breathing and that is what always causes me to stop. There is no heart pain now or upon exertion. I have never had a heart attack. The visits to the Dr were prompted by a migraine that lasted a week and a day. I went to the emergency room twice before they could stop it. The migraine started one evening when I was thinking about the painful family situation and realized it was starting to rain. I raise bunnies and I ran outside to put them out of the rain. This is when the migraine started. After I finished with the rabbits, I went inside. I was rather wet. I was cold so I sat infront of the faux fireplace heater. As I sat there, I could not breate well. I was pouring sweat but still very cold. The migraine was not the first I have had. I have had them for several years. I am post menopausal by over 10 years old patientso I do not believe the headaches are related to the change of life although I did have migraines with hot flashes back then. I am curious to know what the exact name for the diagnosis of what is wrong with my heart. Thank you very much.
Hello.
Your ECHO findings, as you have mentioned, suggest that the lower left area of the heart (left ventricle) is not contracting well. It could have suffered a silent heart attack. And the valve on upper right side not closing completely would be called a Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR). This is mild degree is nothing to worry about.
What is more important to know whether you have tendency to heart failure is your Ejection Fraction (EF). It should be there in your ECHO report. If it is reduced, it means that the heart function is reduced (known as Left Ventricular dysfunction / LV dysfunction) and you have a tendency to heart failure.
A good physical examination and listening to your chest could tell us if you are having heart failure.
Alternatively a blood test called NT PRO BNP, if elevated could also tell us if you are having heart failure. If your EF is reduced, this can be done.
The reason for some areas of heart not working well could be blockage in coronary arteries (the blood vessels which supply blood to the heart). For detecting blockages, an angiography is the test to be done. However, in the absence of any chest pain, as of now I would not recommend you to get it done.
Let me know if I can assist you any further.
Regards,
Dr Vivek Mahajan,
DM Cardiology.