any heart experts on line please? FIL in hospital

[mckenzie]

FIl we think had a minor heart attack last night. He was in the local hospital but this afternoon was transferred to the London heart hospital. I've just had the update from Dh and it seems that they did some sort of extra test involving dye which I assume was to see if there was a blockage and now they have inserted a ring????? Any ideas what this is all about please? I briefly studied the heart last year for one of my exams so I do at least have a basic idea of how it works (when it's working correctly) but problems with the heart were not covered for the purpose of the course.

TIA

[mckenzie]

bump please

[misdee]

dh says it sounds like they have put a stent in, to hold the artery open. he covered it on weds at his physio session.

[mckenzie]

thanks Misdee (and your DH), from what I have now read on the British Heart Foundation website I came to the same conclusion.

[mckenzie]

Misdee, does your DH know if this is fairly common and therefgore not cause for panicy concern? DH and I are supposed to be taking the children on holiday on monday - will FIL be all clear by then do you suppose?

I hope that question doesn't come across as me being selfish, thinking about a holiday when FIL is still in hospital - I'm just trying to be practical and think ahead.

[monkeyme]

Usual stay post MI (heart attack) is 5 days. Stenting is a fairly common procedure to be done post MI, especially if there has been ongoing chest pain following the initial heart attack. He will be on at least 5 different drugs initially, but should be seen by the cardiac rehab nurses in hospital, and given all the info about the dos and don'ts for when he gets home. He won't be able to drive for 4 weeks, but otherwise it's a case of taking it steady, and gradually building up the activity levels over the next few weeks.

[mckenzie]

thanks monkeyme. DH came home late last night with some booklets about it. Apparently he had some bleeding from where the stent went in and they had to put a 'plug' in. DH is off now to go back and see him (he's in UCLH Heart hospital). He said he looked okay last night just shattered. They will have woken him up at 6.30am this morning apparently and FIL loves his saturday morning lie in (usually surfaces about 12 noon!!). Poor man . But he's in the right place huh? We are just hoping that they have found all that is wrong. Consultant said to DH yesterday that they are still unhappy about something but DH couldn't remember what it was

[mckenzie]

FIL was moved yesterday from the London back to our local hospital and we were told he might even be able to come home today. Now, he has just phoned to say that are probably going to move him back to the London as they are not happy with how the heart is responding to the drugs and they are going to give him an electric shock! What's this all about anyone? At the local hospital where he is now visiting doesn't start until 3pm so we can't go up there and find out what's going on. Any advise gratefully received.

TIA

[winemakesmummyclever]

From what you have posted it seems like he may have developed an arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm - very common post- MI) that is not responding to drugs, and it sounds like they are going to try cardioversion. This is basically using a synchronised low level dc shock in an attempt to restore a normal rhythm. He will be lightly sedated for the procedure, and it isn't a high joule shock, so it shouldn't be uncomfortable for him.

You might want to ask exactly why/when he will be having the procedure and get the dr/nurse to explain it to you & FIL, what they hope to achieve, and any follow up treatment (e.g. any drugs, cardiac rehab etc) he will require (though often these conditions are of a "wait and see" nature so progress cannot be accurately predicted).

It is a good idea to write questions/worries down as you think of them means that you can refer to it and get all your concerns addressed.

Hope that he gets on ok.

[mckenzie]

thanks for the reply. i spoke to him 30 mins ago and they were wiring him up for the procedure (at the local hospital instead of going back to london) but all they are saying is that they will be doing it 'today'. Thankfully he is allowed to have his phone on in the ward so we are staying in touch via mobile phone for now.

[mckenzie]

FIL had the procedure this afternoon and so far, so good. Yesterday his resting heart rate was jumping between about 83 and 104 and this evening is stable and about 64 which is great huh?
They started giving him 50 of whatever it is they shock them with, then 100 and eventually had to go up to 200. But, it looks like its worked so it was worth it and Dh has just come home from hospital and he looks brighter too.

[misdee]

oh thats good.

am not sure what a normal resting heart rate is, as dh is unatturall high due to his transplant, but i think that sounds about right.

hopefully FIl is now on the mend, and they will follow him up with cardiac rehab etc like dh has.

[mckenzie]

so we can go on holiday tomorrow after all. DH really needs this holiday as he's been swamped at worked and is exhausted. I'm just so pleased FIL has been in such good spirits tonight so that DH doesn't feel quite so bad about going away.

[winemakesmummyclever]

That HR is not excessively high so it may have been the actual rhythm the heart was in (i.e. the electrical activity that causes the heart to contract was originating in the wrong place). It is sensible precaution to prevent any further stress on your fil's heart. Glad that he seems to be on the mend and hope you and your family have a good holiday.

[mckenzie]

thanks wmmc. DH is on the phone to him just now. I'm waiting to here if he had a good night. I do so hope so. He's a lovely lovely man.