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Does A Damaged Heart Repair Itself?

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Posted on Fri, 22 Aug 2014
Question: I have moved so I am trying to understand my records and its readings. Since March I have not seen a Cardiologists, I do have my records now. I am trying to understand if I do or do not have any damages to my heart from a heart attack. I had symptoms back in October 2013 had a EKG with no follow, three weeks later it was detected and I had a stent put in. Oct 2013 I the Nuclear Imaging showed damages as of April my knew Nuclear image showed no prior damage. So I am really confused and unable to talk with my Cardiologist so I went here. Did all the damage to my heart repair itself. Do I have any damage left should I have any concern for future heart attack or damage.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
please see details

Detailed Answer:
Dear madam
First of all there is nothing alarming if we compare two reports; rather it is favorable.
Let me explain you that what we see in nuclear scan. The cells in heart take up nucleotide or active medicine depending upon the activity of cell. A particular area may take lesser medicine if there is less supply of blood as compared to increased activity, due to blockage in vessels or there are lesser number of cells due to cell death or heart attack or activity of cells is reduced due to prolonged lesser flow. The difference between first and third scenario is that in first scenario decrease supply is transient otherwise cell death may occur. In third scenario cell death does not occur but heart loses contractility in that part. In these reports there is reversal of this state of chronic less flow and lesser contractility of heart. It is manifest in first report as area of lesser perfusion and in second as near normal.
The matter of concern is that you had a blockade so there is tendency. You must take all medicines and adopt healthy life style. This includes meditation, lesser stress, no smoking, regular brisk walk, low cholesterol low saturate fat diet, good control of diabetes and high blood pressure and optimal weight.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (1 hour later)
Dear Dr. Sukhvinder XXXXXXX
I thank you for providing me your expert interpretation of my report,

I am so very grateful for the out come. It was a very difficult time.

May I ask is there any damage to the tip or outer wall of my heart of any kind?
Did my heart repair itself. Was there a percentage of damage that is un repairable

I understand what you are saying in-regards to, The matter of concern is that you had a blockade so there is tendency.

Kind regards
lori
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (20 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
please see details.

Detailed Answer:
Dear madam
The current scan report says there is no damage from previous episode. It is not the repair by heart itself. It is like that when you turn the fan to level one, it gives lesser air but at level four it gives more air. When there was a blockade the affected heart muscle was working less, as you put a stent the level shifted from level 1 to 4 and pumping improvrd, so the defect on scan. What you have now is possibly the first scenario which I explained in my last answer. It means that, at rest, a part of your anterior wall of heart is healthy and has adeq uate blood supply. When you exercise, the supply to a small area seems to decrease. This usually happens because of partial blockage in arteries. Since the area is small, the vessel is possibly small. This picture may arise due to microvsacular disease also. Microvascular disease is not amenable to stenting and prognosis is generally good.
If you had no discomfort during the exercise phase of test, the overall value of this defect is less. You'd have a good exercise capacity too. But you need to take medicines and adopt healthy life style. No test can tell that when or whether an individual can have heart attack in future.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (20 hours later)
Dr. Sukhvinder XXXXXXX

I thought once the tissue was damaged it's damaged, some anyways.
Yes, this is great news. I am so grateful! Trying to wrap my head around not having any damage is great news and thank you for expertise to answering my questions. I did up load my Cardiologist note to my Primary Physican.

With great appreciation
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (56 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
please see below.

Detailed Answer:
Dear madam.
Your conviction that a heart got damaged once will not get repaired is true if damage causes cell death. If insult causes stunning or hibernation i.e. temporary or chronic loss of function respectively, it is reversible in some circumstances.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (15 hours later)
Dr. Sukhvinder XXXXXXX

May I ask you with the first EKG that was performed 3 weeks prior to the 2 EKG would have medications helped with the results and a heart attack would have been prevented.

I had jaw, nausea and severe headaches. Would it be normal for NO follow up with these readings

Unconfirmed interpretation-MD should review

sinus rhythm (slow)

vertical axis

minor right-precordial repolarization disturbance, consider

feminine pattern

small negative T in V2

with flat or low negative T in V3

Normal variant of ECG

Thank you
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sukhvinder Singh (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
please see details.

Detailed Answer:
Dear madam.
The interpretation of ECG is best done in light of clinical suspucion. The ECG shows some ST depression in V4-6. The significance of such a finding is totally dependent on clinical situation. I investigate further if I have strong clinical suspicion even in presence of normal ECG.
Presence of headache is atypical of anginal pain. In presence of jaw pain it indicates local cause more than heart pain. The pain which increases on exertion indicates angina more than a pain which does not.
Hence the clinical suspicion of angina is supreme.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Sukhvinder Singh

Cardiologist

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 1306 Questions

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Does A Damaged Heart Repair Itself?

Brief Answer: please see details Detailed Answer: Dear madam First of all there is nothing alarming if we compare two reports; rather it is favorable. Let me explain you that what we see in nuclear scan. The cells in heart take up nucleotide or active medicine depending upon the activity of cell. A particular area may take lesser medicine if there is less supply of blood as compared to increased activity, due to blockage in vessels or there are lesser number of cells due to cell death or heart attack or activity of cells is reduced due to prolonged lesser flow. The difference between first and third scenario is that in first scenario decrease supply is transient otherwise cell death may occur. In third scenario cell death does not occur but heart loses contractility in that part. In these reports there is reversal of this state of chronic less flow and lesser contractility of heart. It is manifest in first report as area of lesser perfusion and in second as near normal. The matter of concern is that you had a blockade so there is tendency. You must take all medicines and adopt healthy life style. This includes meditation, lesser stress, no smoking, regular brisk walk, low cholesterol low saturate fat diet, good control of diabetes and high blood pressure and optimal weight. Sincerely Sukhvinder