Blood clot in heart

I have had 3 episodes of DVT in the past 4 years and now a TEE reveals a clot around the aortic valve also some minor leakage from the mitral valve. Also an MRI shows multiple mini strokes in my brain.I have had hypertension for 35 years and have episodic elevations ,the cause of which has not been determined.I am on coumadin and also take Prednisone for PMR and ? of Temporal Arteritis and BP meds. I am a 78yr old female and would like any information on the above medical problems, especially the heart problems.Thankyou.

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

It would be important to rule out underlying clotting disorders.  The prednisone could be causing this or your underlying temoporal arteritis.

[Nelva Ancona-P]

I am a 45 years old female with a hx. of diabetes for over 15 years. Actually I take 24units of Insulin 70/30 and Glucophage 500mg twice a day. A few days ago I started with minor chest pain. Went to the emergency room, but the EKG did not reveal a heart attack. Came back to the ER 2 days after, and was hospitalized. Echocardiogram and stress tests irrelevant do termine if I had a heart attack in the past or was going to have one. But cardiac catheterization revealed two blockages. I'm scheduled to have them unblock by angioplasty. Is that my best choice or is conventional medical treatment a better alternative?
Please post answer or e-mail me at ***@****
Thank you very much!
Nelva Ancona-P

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

Dear Nelva,

This decision is up to your cardiologist and yourself. You should very likely have some form of revascularization.  Please be advised that some trials have shown that diabetics do not do as well with angioplasty and/or stenting as non-diabetics.  You may wish to ask your cardiologist about the adjunctive role of Reopro in this situation if you are to have a stent.

If you disease is fairly significant and involves your LAD you may wish to consider surgery as a more lasting approach to revasulcarization.

Medical therapy is unlikely to be the answer in your situation.

[fran7247]

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[lucky888]

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