Asthma and Heart problems

Posted By Dan on May 30, 1998 at 23:31:38:







Dear Doctor,
I am writing to find out answers about my wife's condition.  She is a 24yo
with a family Hx of Congenital Heart Disease (Uncle and Grandmother?), both
dying in their thirties.  She also has been diagnosed with Asthma for almost
four years.  We have live in Florida, Texas and California since then without
any change in her asthma (currently in Texas).  It may be a little worse in
Texas, she has been admitted to the hospital twice (brochitis,sinusitis,
asthma).  While in the hospital she is pumped up with all kinds of asthma
meds (salumedral IV, asthmacort, albuterol, serevent, alcolate and several
otheres).  After a day of this she starts complaining of chest pain.  
She does a lot of coughing but I don't think it costrochondritis sp?
The doctor switches the medicine but the chest pain still persists.  
He has also ordered an echocardiogram.  The only other cardio problem
she has had was a heart murmer during her first pregnancy (when she
was first diagnosed with asthma) What is your opinion in what is going on
with her heart?  What is the echo for?  What kind of questions can I
ask the pulmonologist to get the answers
my wife needs?