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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Onset Of Right Sided Pain After Treated Heart Attack?

A 65-year-old woman who had been discharged from the hospital following a myocardial infarction returned to the emergency room several weeks later because of the sudden onset of pain in her right lower extremity. The attending physician noticed that the patient’s leg was pale and cool from the knee down. Furthermore, he was unable to detect a pulse over the dorsal pedal and popliteal arteries. A good femoral pulse, however, was palpable in the inguinal region. Upon questioning, the patient stated that she was sent home with blood thinning medication because tests had revealed that the heart attack had caused a blood clot to form within her heart. The doctors were worried, she added, that “ a piece of the clot could break off and go to other parts of the body Which side of the heart did the blood clot form in?
posted on Wed, 15 Oct 2014
Twitter Sun, 14 Dec 2014 Answered on
Twitter Mon, 15 Dec 2014 Last reviewed on
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Neurologist,  's  Response
I read your query and I thank you for the detailed explanation.

I am afraid what your doctors feared has happened, a blood clot has taken off and occluded a major blood vessel in the lower limb, in this case it seems the distal femoral artery. It is a very serious condition which warrants immediate evaluation and intervention by thrombolysis, endovascular or surgical intervention, otherwise she could lose her leg and at risk for her life as well.

Regarding your last question, the blood clot formed in the left side of her heart, if it had been on the right it would have been a question of a clot going to the lungs, pulmonary embolism.

I hope things work out for the best.
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What Causes Onset Of Right Sided Pain After Treated Heart Attack?

I read your query and I thank you for the detailed explanation. I am afraid what your doctors feared has happened, a blood clot has taken off and occluded a major blood vessel in the lower limb, in this case it seems the distal femoral artery. It is a very serious condition which warrants immediate evaluation and intervention by thrombolysis, endovascular or surgical intervention, otherwise she could lose her leg and at risk for her life as well. Regarding your last question, the blood clot formed in the left side of her heart, if it had been on the right it would have been a question of a clot going to the lungs, pulmonary embolism. I hope things work out for the best.