Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

EF function?

im a 48 female with significant family history of heart disease (sister, mom) at young age.
I went to ER for chest pain
Blood Tests showed:
Positive Troponin T at 7 hours and rose again at 12hrs
Positive D-Dimer (high 350)
Positive CKMB (high)
CK was normal but rising on each test

ECG:
on arrival Left Ventricular abnormality
Borderline T abnormalities

ECHO -
Mild concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, mild tricuspid and Mitral regurgitation and leaflets mildly thickened
EF 60-65%

Cardiologist came in and said I had a heart attack based on troponins and symptoms, then did a heart catherization in the AM (12 hours later)

Left heart Catherization
20% operative proximal segment on Left anterior descending artery, possible shallow bridge in mid left anterior descending artery.Left anterior descending artery and branches are significantly tortuous. no other significant atherosclerotic CAD.
estimated LV EF is 55-60%

After heart cath doctor came in and said she's not sure if I had a heart attack since I didn't have significant CAD.

Since my event (2 months) I have developed high blood pressure, shortness of breath on any exertion (going up steps, doing laundry, etc) it is starting to improve in last week.

What do you think? heart attack?
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
976897 tn?1379167602
Personally ( my opinion) I think you very likely did have an attack. With the continual rise of troponin and left ventricle abnormalities, and T wave changes, it all points to it. I notice that in your report it mentions a bridge in the mid section of your LAD. This is basically where your artery is under some heart muscle instead of on top. The heart muscle can compress the artery in certain circumstances, but it does say it is probably a shallow bridge. If your blood pressure was particularly high and the heart was pumping hard, it may have been compressing the LAD. Just another thought.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
In many cases, unfortunately, people do not survive a heart attack from a blockage in the LAD, but there are also many who do. Your heart is basically covered with hair like blood vessels called collaterals which can open up and act as a natural emergency bypass. It doesn't work in everyone, but more research is needed to understand the mechanisms for this. My LAD was totally blocked for over 2 years but collaterals were feeding the bottom of my LAD, taking blood across from the Circumflex. I agree with what you say about cost, but people who look after the money in hospitals and make the policies seem to believe in false economics. Surely if they use FFR once and get all the arteries sorted with a good flow in the first procedure, it must be cheaper than keep running tests and reperforming angiograms. I've never understood the logic.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ed,
Having an opinion of course is NOT irresponsible.:) But  there is a fine line, answering certain specific questions like what original poster was asking: “What do you think? heart attack? “……well that what I meant it would be very irresponsible from us to say. We are not doctors. Let the doctors do the diagnosis.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also forgot to mention that the Echo showed Concentric Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.. which is weird since I never had high blood pressure until recently, and am not an athlete of any sorts.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your input. My mothers cardio thought she initially just needed a triple bypass only to find when they got in there that she needed a quad.

I've also heard that the LAD is not a good place to have blockages.

My EF on Echo is showing 50-55% so I'm not sure which is right, but it is a change for me. (it was 60-65)

I too wish they would use the available equipment.. its all about the money.

I will talk to my cardiologist about the possibility of stenting, particularly since I am still having problems and at high risk for another MI.
Helpful - 0
976897 tn?1379167602
I don't think having an opinion is irresponsible :)  that's why the poster is here, to ask opinions.
You can't go by EF, this is irrelevant with heart ischemia in so many cases. My EF has never dropped below 70% in my 5 years of problems and my arteries were a real mess.
One thing your cardiologist is definitely wrong in saying is that a 20% blockage is not really a concern. Did your Cardiologist stent the 20% lesion?
I was in the Angio Lab last year and they were very surprised at what they discovered. My left circumflex looked great on the images, but when they used a flow sensor on the catheter tip, it showed a 50% reduction in flow. There was nothing visual to cause this. They stented it with 2 stents and the flow rate increased back to 100%. There was lots of microscopic cracks in the artery lining, causing lots of turbulence, disrupting the flow. It is also known through the FFR sensor that the big blockages are NOT always the problem, sometimes the smallest can be problematic and the big ones sometimes cause no problems at all. I just wish they would all use the equipment available and not just go by eyesight alone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It would be very irresponsible to say or speculate one way or the other. Listen to your doctors.
Having high bp is not a heart condition. Shortness of breath also can be a symptom for many things not only problem with the heart. Smoking, overweight, food, drink especially drinks that has aspartame, and who knows what other seriously harming ingredients in them. Energy drinks, diet coke just to mention some. Genetically modified food…and the list go on and on….
You said it started to improve that just proof my point. If it was your heart it would not improve.
Also your EF is ok ,if the shortness of breath was there because of your heart your EF could of be around 20-30%. And it is normal for you 55-60.
I cannot read your report , I am not a doctor but I am sure they gave you medications for those problems you are having and they were diagnosed .
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community

Top Heart Disease Answerers
159619 tn?1707018272
Salt Lake City, UT
11548417 tn?1506080564
Netherlands
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.