|
Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Question Title: Atrial Fib-heart failure..Forum: The Heart Forum
| |
Re: Atrial Fib-heart failure..Posted by CCF Cardio MD-SGM on January 14, 1998 at 14:45:44: In Reply to: Atrial Fib-heart failure.. posted by David Stanforth on January 13, 1998 at 18:29:55:
: My father has been recently diagnosed with Atrial Fibrilation. About six months ago doctors told him of this ailment and put him on a beta blocker and a blood thinner. Recently his leg has swollen and now doctors have him on additional meds. Whats going on here? Can he already be in the beginning stages of heart failure? Now I am concerned.. Is one ailment related to the other so quickly? He has always been healthy-eating and exercizing etec. Please tell me how cardio health can go down-hill so quickly. Thanks. _ Dear Mr. Stanforth, Although patients with heart failure have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation, there's no necessary connection between these two entities. Atrial fibrillation is a primary disorder of the electrical rhythm of the heart that is typically treated with medicines that slow the heart rate, thin the blood to prevent clots which may lead to stroke, and medicines or other therapies to "convert" the abnormal rhythm to a regular rhythm. Congestive heart failure describes a condition where abnormal pumping (or relaxing) properties of the heart leads to fluid accumulation, shortness of breath, and decreased exercise tolerance. Swelling of one leg, (or unilateral lower extremity edema) is not typical for heart failure, which tends to affect both legs equally. If your father indeed has asymmetric swelling of one leg, he should be evaluated for deep venous thrombosis, or DVT, a condition where a clot forms in the leg vein, impeding natural efflux of blood and fluids, and thereby leading to swelling. Your father may indeed have heart failure, but this diagnosis would require other findings on a thorough physical examination, and could be ascertained more accurately through the use of an echocardiogram of the heart. I would refer you to your father's physician as to whether he does or does not have heart failure. This is indeed a serious condition with numerous possible causative factors. However, good therapies for heart failure are available. Information in the Heart Forum is for general purposes only. Specific diagnoses and therapy can only be provided by your physician.
|
|