Diagnosing a Virus

My husband went to the Dr. last week, after thinking he had a cold for a month.Tightness in chest, diff breathing, coughing, low body temperature, they ran a EKG showing 2 heart attacks.  Then he had a Echo 27 percent ejection, slightly enlarged heart from CXR.  He did smoke 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day for 23 years, he also smokes now some cigars.  He is a social drinker if even that.  He is having a heart cath in 7 days but his Dr. keeps referring that he thinks it is viral because they gave him 4 medications last weekend, furosemide,enalapril,klor-con,and digitek and within 24 hours he felt much better.  His mother died of a heart attack 5 months ago at age 67, his dad died of leukemia.  Is this a reasonable statement to make that he feels this is viral because he had such a good response to the medication?   I am under the impression that if viral heart transplant is the only fix, I am glad that my husband thinks it is going to run its course as the physician said.

[CCF-M.D.-KE]

Dear Glo-1,

I am sorry to hear about your husband's condition. It is possible for a virus to cause weakening of the heart muscle similar to what you have described in your husband. However, in the United States the most common causes of weakened heart muscle are high blood pressure and blockages in the heart arteries. Therefore, a heart catheterization is a great idea and will provide the doctors with very useful information.
Following the catheterization certain conditions such as coronary artery disease may be ruled in or out. Though very useful, this test may not provide a definitive diagnosis. However, given the prevalence of hypertension and coronary artery disease, these conditions are  probably more likely to have caused this problem than a viral illnesses. Keep us posted.
Hope your husband improves.

Thanks for your question,

CCF-MD-KE