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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Is The Prognosis Of A Patient With Heart Failure?

Hi! my husband has been diagnosed with heart failure!! which has come as a shock!! he had a massive heart attack 15yrs ago which damaged his heart!! then he had a mild heart attack a few weeks ago which needed a stent!! But when he went for some test results last week they told him his left side of heart is not working properly, and that he had heart failure!! although he is ok at the minute no different!! but i heard it goes in 4 stages!! can you tell me what stage you think he is at!! As no one has told him.
Tue, 17 May 2016
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello, Thanks for using Healthcaremagic. I had gone through all the data you have posted.
In a patient of heart attack, the time interval between occurence of symptoms and restoration of blood supply by either thrombolysis or stenting (PTCA) is the most important factor determining the extent of damage heart muscle had undergone.

Once heart muscle undergoes death, it forma a scar and it cannot contract along with the surrounding heart muscle which causes ineffective pumping of blood from heart.

Ineffective pumping of blood may result in two types of symptoms:

breathlessness on exertion, breathless on lying down, sudden episodes of breathlessness at midnight - these occur due to pooling of blood in lungs.

abdominal distension, swelling of legs, anorexia, indigestion - these occur due to pooling of blood below level of heart in legs.

AHA/ACC divides heart failure into 4 stages, explaining in short

Stage A: only risk factors and NO structural heart disease

Stage B: structural heart disease but no symptoms

Stage C: structural heart disease with cardiac dysfunction, prior or current symptoms of heart failure, above mentioned symptoms.

Stage D: refractory heart failure needs specized interventions

so depending upon symptoms status your husband stage might be at stage B or C.
hope this helps..
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What Is The Prognosis Of A Patient With Heart Failure?

Hello, Thanks for using Healthcaremagic. I had gone through all the data you have posted. In a patient of heart attack, the time interval between occurence of symptoms and restoration of blood supply by either thrombolysis or stenting (PTCA) is the most important factor determining the extent of damage heart muscle had undergone. Once heart muscle undergoes death, it forma a scar and it cannot contract along with the surrounding heart muscle which causes ineffective pumping of blood from heart. Ineffective pumping of blood may result in two types of symptoms: breathlessness on exertion, breathless on lying down, sudden episodes of breathlessness at midnight - these occur due to pooling of blood in lungs. abdominal distension, swelling of legs, anorexia, indigestion - these occur due to pooling of blood below level of heart in legs. AHA/ACC divides heart failure into 4 stages, explaining in short Stage A: only risk factors and NO structural heart disease Stage B: structural heart disease but no symptoms Stage C: structural heart disease with cardiac dysfunction, prior or current symptoms of heart failure, above mentioned symptoms. Stage D: refractory heart failure needs specized interventions so depending upon symptoms status your husband stage might be at stage B or C. hope this helps..