Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Underwent Rewarming Process Due To Heart Attack. Having Fever. What Are The Risks?
Question: My boyfriend had a heart attack on tues he is in icu, he has been sedated and underwent a "rewarming process" on thurs. as responding to simple commands and could squeeze hands and lift his head. Today he spiked a fever of 103 and was taken for tests. He is still under sedation. What happens now?
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
Fever is something which is commonly seen in people who do suffer a heart attack. This is expected to resolve on its own, but we would need to rule out other causes like infection etc.
The exact outlook from now on would depend on how severe the heart attack was. Given your description, it seems that a large part of the heart muscle was involved. Also, I would like to know was he taken for angioplasty or any other procedure after this.
As of now, he should be expected to stay in the hospital for say about a week to 10 days. Thereafter, he should be discharged with a prescription of drugs like aspirin, nitrates, clopidogrel, ACE inhibitors like ramipril and a beta blocker like metoprolol. If he has high cholesterol levels, he would be given a statin as well.
Thereafter, he would need close follow up atleast initially and would really need to focus on his lifestyle.
If you're able to speak with his physician and tell me the lab results and the doctor's opinion ( on how much of the heart is involved), we can have a more detailed discussion.
Hope that helps.
Let me know if you have any more questions
Regards
Thanks for writing in.
Fever is something which is commonly seen in people who do suffer a heart attack. This is expected to resolve on its own, but we would need to rule out other causes like infection etc.
The exact outlook from now on would depend on how severe the heart attack was. Given your description, it seems that a large part of the heart muscle was involved. Also, I would like to know was he taken for angioplasty or any other procedure after this.
As of now, he should be expected to stay in the hospital for say about a week to 10 days. Thereafter, he should be discharged with a prescription of drugs like aspirin, nitrates, clopidogrel, ACE inhibitors like ramipril and a beta blocker like metoprolol. If he has high cholesterol levels, he would be given a statin as well.
Thereafter, he would need close follow up atleast initially and would really need to focus on his lifestyle.
If you're able to speak with his physician and tell me the lab results and the doctor's opinion ( on how much of the heart is involved), we can have a more detailed discussion.
Hope that helps.
Let me know if you have any more questions
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Will he come out of the sedation on his own, or do the doctors do something to bring him out of it?
Hi,
Thanks for writing back.
As far as the sedation is concerned, there can be 2 condition. The more likely probability is that the physicians would be giving him some drugs to give him some much needed rest. As soon as he recovers enough, the drugs would stop and he should be fine ( out of sedation) ; well and awake. I am sure the resident on duty would be able to tell you whether he's been given any of the sedatives.
In the other condition, he's actually drowsy due to decrease in the supply to the brain. That is a very serious condition and we cannot predict when he would come out of it.
Regards
Thanks for writing back.
As far as the sedation is concerned, there can be 2 condition. The more likely probability is that the physicians would be giving him some drugs to give him some much needed rest. As soon as he recovers enough, the drugs would stop and he should be fine ( out of sedation) ; well and awake. I am sure the resident on duty would be able to tell you whether he's been given any of the sedatives.
In the other condition, he's actually drowsy due to decrease in the supply to the brain. That is a very serious condition and we cannot predict when he would come out of it.
Regards
Note: For further follow-up it is advisable to consult an emergency medicine specialist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
