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What Causes Loss Of Appetite And Excessive Salivation While Suffering From Heart Failure?
Question: my 90year old father has heart failure but his condition is stabalised and he is doing well with good apetite,
one concern is that he spits a lot . is this a sympton of heart failure ?
one concern is that he spits a lot . is this a sympton of heart failure ?
Brief Answer:
Heart failure is less likely a cause and other causes need to be thought of
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Spitting is not a known symptom in heart failure elderly patients.
2. The elderly can have over active salivary glands and probably your father is having it. This leads to constant saliva and spit generation and they feel comfortable in spitting out every few minutes.
3. There are few patients with age related cognitive decline and dementia who have been evaluated for spitting problem but no strong relationship has been established between their cognitive decline and increased spitting.
4. Another cause of frequent spitting can be the generation of large amounts thick and sticky saliva due to medicines he is taking for heart failure. This can cause a thick and sticky saliva which the patient tries to get rid of through spitting. However I am not sure if your father is spitting out frequently due to this reason.
5. It will also help to know if his spitting is due to any swallowing problem which he is experiencing. Some neurological conditions can cause difficulty in swallowing and the person gets relief through spitting.
Hope your query is answered.
Please write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Heart failure is less likely a cause and other causes need to be thought of
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.
1. Spitting is not a known symptom in heart failure elderly patients.
2. The elderly can have over active salivary glands and probably your father is having it. This leads to constant saliva and spit generation and they feel comfortable in spitting out every few minutes.
3. There are few patients with age related cognitive decline and dementia who have been evaluated for spitting problem but no strong relationship has been established between their cognitive decline and increased spitting.
4. Another cause of frequent spitting can be the generation of large amounts thick and sticky saliva due to medicines he is taking for heart failure. This can cause a thick and sticky saliva which the patient tries to get rid of through spitting. However I am not sure if your father is spitting out frequently due to this reason.
5. It will also help to know if his spitting is due to any swallowing problem which he is experiencing. Some neurological conditions can cause difficulty in swallowing and the person gets relief through spitting.
Hope your query is answered.
Please write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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