Heart Failure with unanswered questions

  Please help me if you can. My mother has been expierencing mild seizures or
  mini strokes about once a month for about the last 5 years. They last anywhere
  from 30 seconds to a few minutes. It leaves her very weak. Then in about a day
  two she is back to normal.
  She has had nearly every test possible and been seen by the Mayo Clinic amongst
  other facilities and no one seems to come up with a definitive diagnosis. On
  7/8/98 she had a bad attack, the hospital she is in now is calling it Heart
  Failure.
  My mother also gets severe cramps in her legs and toes. She did have a Heart
  Attack about 5 years which she had not even known about. They said it was a
  Silent Heart Attack. This was recently discovered during one of her many tests.
  Basically I am very concerned about my mother and would really like to know what
  is going on with her. I would like any information that you could possibly
  provide to help discern the problem with her Heart and to hopefully give insight
  into a proper treatment plan including possible medications in order to prevent
  further attacks or failures.
  Thank you very much.
  Sincerely,
  Kim

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Kim,
Topic Area: Heart Failure
Thank you for your question.  Heart failure, or congestive heart failure (CHF) is a syndrome of low heart output, shortness of breath and swelling in the extremities.  The most common cause of heart failure is ischemic (secondary to blockages in the arteries).  Other common causes are hypertensive (high blood pressure), viral, valvular and idiopathic.  The diagnosis of CHF is made by symptoms and testing of the heart.  An echocardiogram or heart catheterization is usually done to measure the function of the pumping chamber.  Other investigations may be performed depending upon the cause of the CHF.
Treatment of heart failure can be medical or surgical.  If failure is due to blockages or valve problems then surgery is often recommended.  Medical management includes digoxin, ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and diuretics.  Newer evidence has shown that low dose beta-blockers improve symptoms and survival in patients with CHF.  End stage CHF is treated with heart transplantation if the patient is a candidate.  
CHF is a common problem and the treatment is improving.  It is a chronic problem and must be followed closely by her doctor with adjustment of her medication as needed.  
Further information can be found at:
http://www.healthanswers.com/health_answers/search_get_answer/forums/circulatory/frame1.htm
Information provided here is for general educational purposes only. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and treatments. If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please Call 1 - 800 - CCF - CARE for an appointment at Desk F15 with a cardiologist.