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How Do We Understand The Apparent Sudden Onset Of Congestive Heart Failure?
Question: Greetings. How do we understand the apparent sudden onset of congestive heart failure? My 91 year old father was in basically good overall health until several months ago when symptoms showed he had developed CHF. The only serious ailment he had had previously was successfully treated cancer in the saliva gland. Now he is under care for the CHF. So I am curious how this develops suddenly (although he had complained of fatigue for many years), even started the age of 91. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern and would explain that congestive heart failure is a frequent cardiac disorder in aged people, the more they get aged the higher the likelihood of suffering from heart failure.
The most common clinical scenario appears when heart failure is present for a relatively long period of time, but it well compensated.
That is: besides some small and relevant complaints such as fatigue, palpitations, these individuals in general cope well with their daily life activities. This is explained with compensatory mechanisms taking place from the beginning of this disorder.
Now, when certain health disorders are introduced abruptly, they may disrupt the balances provided by these compensatory mechanisms.
In other words, when any of the following health disorders like inflammation or acute infection, chronic anemia, new onset arrhythmia appearance, or other organ dysfunction (liver, kidney, diabetes, etc.) appears, the patient starts to experience some new clinical symptoms and signs that he has never had before such as: peripheral edema, shortness of breath, weight gain, palpitations etc..
In general, behind a chronic heart failure may reside certain cardiomyopathies (such as a valvular disorder, hypertrophic or ischemic or dilated, or radiation cardiomyopathy, etc.).
I would like to review his tests such as cardiac ultrasound report or other blood lab tests in order to be able to give a more professional opinion regarding his medical conditions.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I understand your concern and would explain that congestive heart failure is a frequent cardiac disorder in aged people, the more they get aged the higher the likelihood of suffering from heart failure.
The most common clinical scenario appears when heart failure is present for a relatively long period of time, but it well compensated.
That is: besides some small and relevant complaints such as fatigue, palpitations, these individuals in general cope well with their daily life activities. This is explained with compensatory mechanisms taking place from the beginning of this disorder.
Now, when certain health disorders are introduced abruptly, they may disrupt the balances provided by these compensatory mechanisms.
In other words, when any of the following health disorders like inflammation or acute infection, chronic anemia, new onset arrhythmia appearance, or other organ dysfunction (liver, kidney, diabetes, etc.) appears, the patient starts to experience some new clinical symptoms and signs that he has never had before such as: peripheral edema, shortness of breath, weight gain, palpitations etc..
In general, behind a chronic heart failure may reside certain cardiomyopathies (such as a valvular disorder, hypertrophic or ischemic or dilated, or radiation cardiomyopathy, etc.).
I would like to review his tests such as cardiac ultrasound report or other blood lab tests in order to be able to give a more professional opinion regarding his medical conditions.
Hope to have been helpful!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. Does the medical profession know of any protocols to check younger people in middle age proactively to find out whether they have a cardiovascular condition that could lead to congestive heart failure in the future when they get older? Could anything have prevented my father from CHF when he was still younger??
Brief Answer:
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Following regular and especially yearly cardiovascular checkups (physical exam, cardiac ultrasound and several lab tests) may help to detect in a timely fashion health conditions that may lead to potential heart failure in the future.
Returning to your concrete question, whether a timely medical diagnosis and intervention could have prevented the subsequent CHF occurrence; most likely it could have been possible.
Nevertheless, there are certain cardiomyopathies that are difficult to treat even when diagnosed correctly.
It is necessary to carefully review his medical exam and tests in order to give a more precise professional opinion.
Regards,
Dr. Iliri
Opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Following regular and especially yearly cardiovascular checkups (physical exam, cardiac ultrasound and several lab tests) may help to detect in a timely fashion health conditions that may lead to potential heart failure in the future.
Returning to your concrete question, whether a timely medical diagnosis and intervention could have prevented the subsequent CHF occurrence; most likely it could have been possible.
Nevertheless, there are certain cardiomyopathies that are difficult to treat even when diagnosed correctly.
It is necessary to carefully review his medical exam and tests in order to give a more precise professional opinion.
Regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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