CHF relative to valve stenosis

[Jim__0]

  My mother is 82 years old. About a year ago she slipped and fell causing compresion fractures in her spine. She spent about 20 days hospitalized. We have known that she had heart valve damage due to rheumatic fever that she had as a child. She developed congestive heart failure or it became worse while hospitalized and has lengthened the recovery process. Prior to that episode she took inderal and has for years at a very low dosage. When she left the hospital she was taking lasix and potassium and now takes both once a day. She has no other health problems, weighs 104 lbs and is 5' tall. She has always been the kind of person who was on her feet doing something, needless to say this has slowed her down. While in the hosp I was told by one of the docs that two valves were damaged they indicated moderately but possibly severe.  Here are the questions. 1. Is there better medication than inderal to control or improve the heart function? 2. Would valve replacement be too difficult for someone of her age?
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Dear Jim
If your mother has heart failure due to weakened heart muscle, there are more effective medicines than Inderal. She should see a cardiologist for optimal treatment of her heart failure.
We do cardiac surgery on people in their 80s here at the Cleveland Clinic, and we also due double valve surgeries. Either situation makes heart surgery risky, but both combined make it very high risk. Your mother’s cardiologist should determine if she would benefit from valve surgery. If so, then she and you need to decide whether she is willing to accept the very real risks of surgery, including death. Thus, the decision of whether to proceed with valve surgery should be made in consultation with a cardiologist at a major medical center that is equipped to perform this kind of surgery.
I hope this has been useful. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck.
Information provided here is of a general nature.  Specific diagnoses and treatments can only be made by your doctor.  If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment with a cardiologist at Desk F15.