Taking Medicine For Shortness Of Breath. Facing Erectile Dysfunction, Heaviness In Chest. Any Ideas?

Posted on Mon, 22 Apr 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 Answered on

Wed, 15 May 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Good morning Dr. grief, I had shortness of breath when working in nov. had 2 stents back to back in left anterior
artery, and put on toprol xl 50 mil , lorsartan 100 mil, aspirin 81 mil and effient 10 mil, and at night lipitor 400 mil. I complained of ED and my heart Dr. took me off
toprol xl. I experianced the shortness of breath again with a heavy felling or pain in my chest at the sterum
when breathing. I went back on drug and now now troubles like I had when without the metoprolol succinate.
It seems the opposite of warnings ? Any ideas, I will be going back for scheduled exploratory on stents.

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (8 hours later)

Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

Dual anti-platelet agents aspirin and Prasugrel (effient) / Beta-blocker like Metoprolol / Statin (for reduction of cholesterol and also anti-oxidant property) / Angiotensin Receptor Blocker – like losartan (for re-modelling, pressure) > all these are appropriate and state of the art treatment...

Recurrence of chest pain generally may mean block of any stent or progression of disease in the native vessel. [Rarely pericardial - plural events could be responsible].... An EKG and cardiac markers are done first. ECHO follows... If normal (no significant change from before), stress EKG with thallium isotope is done to exclude significant obstruction to flow... In case of doubt or suggestive obstruction, repeat coronary angiography with a view for possible re-intervention will be necessary...

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar