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What Causes Fluid In Lungs And Swollen Feet When Suppering From High BP?

Posted on Mon, 23 Jun 2014

Question: My mother is 90 years old. She has afib and recently diagnosed with CHF. She is on blood pressure meds for years, but it is hard to control. Her blood pressure is in the 150/80 to 170/80 ranges. She is extremely weak and stays in bed 98% of the time. Rushed her to ER last week, she could not breathe and had fluid on her lungs and her feet and ankles were swollen. As her caregiver do you know what I should expect next? Do you have any idea of her life expectancy?

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Please refer to the following answer....

Detailed Answer:
Hi, I'm so sorry for the situation your mother is in!

It seems that your mother is in the decompasated fase of heart failure.

Imediate medical treatment is necessary to relief her symptoms, especially large doses of diuretics.

If no improvement is seen than she will enter in the fase of endstage heart failure.

Hope it answer to your queries!
Dr. Benard Shehu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Benard Shehu (21 hours later)

She is breathing easier now after high doses of lasix and still taking lasix at home. The swelling went down on her ankles. She is very very weak and just stays in bed. Is this sound like end stage chf? She is 90!

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (2 days later)

Brief Answer:
If swelling went down,not suspecting end-stage-CHF

Detailed Answer:
Hi back,

I am happy that your mother's swelling on her ankles went down. This indicates that perhaps she is not having end stage Cardiac Heart Failure.

Feeling weak and staying in bed is due to medications she is taking for hypertension, especially due to electrolytes and liquids lots while on diuretic treatment. Another factor could be related to her actual age!

Please follow up with her doctor!
Wish fast recovery!
Dr.Benard

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar