I have a dad who is now 48 and has congestive heart failure, a genetic heart disease called: Hypertrophic Cadiomyopathy, and he is also border line diabetic. He had heart surgery on Feburary 14th, 2006 (earlier this year- right on Valentines Day) which the brought me and the whole rest of the family a different meaning and aspect look on life now. This has changed me so much. My dad also has a defibulator pace maker for his heart...so if his heart happens to not go the right beat at all for any reason..it shocks his heart back to normal. My dad is very young, and we all know he shouldn't be living with such a thing...which it all makes it hard for me. When he got open heart surgery done, he got that muscle that was thinckening in his heart (some of it) removed. It was high...his muscle was getting thicker. After that has happened it won't come back. But before his surgery, he was getting all kinds of chest pain, and the muscle was blocking the flow of blood to his heart. Look at my Q.
Heart Diseases - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
My dad has been through some of the things your dad has. He's 79 and still going strong.
2 :
dear asking questions here is not a good way...ur father is suffering froma serious problem ...u must consult a heart specialist
3 :
I have many family member s that have had heart problems. My mom, and 2 sisters both have what you would call Mitro prolapse Valve Syndrom. It is basically a leaking vaulve. At first when you are young it means nothing and it is just monitred but when you get older than surgury is the selusion. I am so upset that this is such a disease that doctors dont do anything until it is to late and you are old. I think that they should do something the minute they are diganosed. One sister is 42 and the other 51.
4 :
i have heart disease.my left side of my heart was 100%clogged.i had surgery and they put 2 stents in.i had a massive heart attack.its amazing what they can do for us heart patints now.also there has babies that have had open heart surgrey just days old.good luck with your father ill keep him in my prayers.
5 :
The diagnosis in plain english is weak enlarged heart muscle. Not all cases are so debilitating, things that are factors in its severity is which wall of the heart is affected. As sick as your dad sounds, it is probable his anterior wall, which is the largest part of the muscle. The ventricle cannot empty efficiently, therefore causing the plumbing to back up in the lungs aka, congestive heart failure. The section of the muscle removed was the weak and flacid portion that is still getting blood supply, basically kicking the lazy part of the muscle off the coat tails of the muscle that still can work, so it won't get so tired. The pacer/defibrillator is to keep his heart from beating to fast/slow. There are other treatment options that should discussed with your Dad's cardiologist, such as heart transplantation. The longest living heart transplant I worked with was 15 yrs and at the time of his surgery, his heart was shot (surgery was back in 1985). May God be with you and your family.
6 :
As a cardiologist, I'd advise you and all other first degree relatives of your dad's to be evaluated by a cardiologist for the same problem---hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Although this can occur through a new mutation, it is strongly hereditary and you need to be evaluated. Good luck.
7 :
I work for a defibrillator company, and it is not unusual for a 48 year old to have an ICD. Actually, be glad he does have one, as he has been recognized as being at risk for sudden cardiac death before it happens. Having an ICD is like walking around with a paramedic in your chest 24/7. He may seem young, and I'm sure it's hard for you to see him go through it, but he is fortunate to have the treatment now. I also see children with ICD's that need it because of hereditary problems.
8 :
Certainly...I've been battling heart disease since I was born.
9 :
My oldest sister died of Hypertrophic Cadiomyopathy at age 35 just a few months back. She also had surgery a decade ago, when she was 26, to have a part of her heart removed. My mother had a heart procedure to do the same thing as the surgery does. They injected alcohol into a ballooned off portion of the heart to cause a heart attack that would kill off that piece instead of removing it. Very much preferable to the surgery as recovery is a month instead of 1 year. Both my mother and myself, age 27, have thick walls in the heart and will be getting internal defibrillators, ICDs, in the next couple months so we don't die almost instantly like my sister did. I strongly suggest that you have a heart echo done at a minimum of every 7 years since this is in your family as well as have any bothers, sisters, or children be tested as soon as they approach adulthood. A person with this disease could fall over dead without ever showing a single sign that they were having problems.
10 :
I am 33. have had 4 heart cath ablations for WPW, afib, V-tach,etc. I have had a pacemaker since 1997. Diagnosed with heart failure with ejection fraction of 39%. The technology we have now is unbelievable & only getting better. Dont spend time worrying, spend it living, that is what your dad should do as well
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