Questions posted in the Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Question Title: Low Blood Pressure + leaky valve + cancer

Forum: The Heart Forum
Topic: Coronary Heart


My wife has just gone thru bone marrow transplantation procedure
for her breast cancer. Unfortunately her heart was damaged. I believe
the valve and heart pumping action was affected. The doctors say she is a candidate for a heart transplant (maybe).

Heart bllod pressure readings are 80 over 55 consistantly and she
alway weak and cannot walk up stairs. Often she gasps for air.
She appears to be deteriorating and no one is taking her by the hand
and explaining a plan of attack. She is on Lasik, digitalis,
pottasium, etc.

1. Is there a very good place she can go for 1-week or more where they will analyse and monitor her closely and make a plan.

Her cancer seems to be in remission but she is too weak to enjoy.
She is constantly in emergency wards but no seems to have an answer.
Where can we turn next???

Thanks for your help, we just need a plan!

Sincerely,

Dave


_

Dear Dave, thank you for your question. I understand your frustration with your wife's current situation. I hope her bone marrow transplantation was successful, but that procedure and her history of breast cancer make the decision to pursue heart transplantation more complicated. If the breast cancer can be proven to be in remission and the bone marrow transplantation to be successful, then she may be a candidate for a transplantation procedure. The reason for this scrutiny is that the immunosuppressive drugs that have to be taken after organ transplantation can reactivate an underlying malignancy which could potentially progress unchecked with the weakened immune system. However, I agree that your wife needs a comprehensive reevaluation at this point. Our center, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, is the ideal place for your wife to be evaluated. We performed a record 120 heart transplants in 1998 and we have an excellent cancer center as well. To arrange an appointment here, please contact Dr. James Young at 216-444-2270. If you cannot travel to Cleveland, please write back and indicate where you live. I may be able to recommend an experienced center closer to your home.


I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. Good luck.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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