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Suggest Treatment For Congestive Heart Failure
My husband was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in February. Since then they had a heart monitor on him for 30 days and have done and MRI and a couple of ultrasounds. In March his heart was functioning at 24%, in April at 20% and May now at 19%. We are told the only option is a pacemaker with a defibrillator. Are there any other options? He is a truck driver and would lose his CDL due to the ICD.
Mon, 17 Aug 2015
Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I understand your concern.
A heart muscle such severely damaged, that produces 19% of function ıs an enlarged, or dilated, heart. Normal heart muscle cells are in close neighbourhood with each-other and even communicate with tight ion channels. In the case of an enlarged heart, the stretch that is imposed on the heart muscle, makes these cells move away from each-other, and this space between them is replaced with non-functional, non electricıty conductive fibrotic tissue. This is the hallmark that makes these hearts prone to severe, serious, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, which can be triggered at any moment. Therefore, my opinion also is that an implantable cardioverter-defibrilator (ICD) should be placed, to prevent death from these arrhythmias, should they occur. The other alternative is maximizing the antiarrhythmic medication to prevent teh ocurrence of arrhythmias, although at this figures of heart function they can be effective only in a certain amount. My opinion is that even if he does not undergo a ICD placement, he will have his license lost, because of the high risk of these arrhythmias.
I hope I was helpful and I clarified your dilemmas. Take care.
King regards,
Dr. Meriton
A heart muscle such severely damaged, that produces 19% of function ıs an enlarged, or dilated, heart. Normal heart muscle cells are in close neighbourhood with each-other and even communicate with tight ion channels. In the case of an enlarged heart, the stretch that is imposed on the heart muscle, makes these cells move away from each-other, and this space between them is replaced with non-functional, non electricıty conductive fibrotic tissue. This is the hallmark that makes these hearts prone to severe, serious, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, which can be triggered at any moment. Therefore, my opinion also is that an implantable cardioverter-defibrilator (ICD) should be placed, to prevent death from these arrhythmias, should they occur. The other alternative is maximizing the antiarrhythmic medication to prevent teh ocurrence of arrhythmias, although at this figures of heart function they can be effective only in a certain amount. My opinion is that even if he does not undergo a ICD placement, he will have his license lost, because of the high risk of these arrhythmias.
I hope I was helpful and I clarified your dilemmas. Take care.
King regards,
Dr. Meriton
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