Low heart Pumping rate

My father, who is 88 years old, has suffered 2 heart attacks (in 1981 and 1984) and was recently given a Cardiolite Stress Test at the doctor's office.  It shows that his heart is pumping at an abnormally low rate of 29%.  What would cause this drop and what are the options to correct it?

[kenkeith]

I had a silent heart attack 6 years ago and my EF was below 29% (heart failure range).
When there is a heart attack heart cells are damaged by lack of oxygenated blood for a period of time.  Quick treatment can revitalize stunned heart cells, but if the heart cells are dead, complete recovery may not happen.

With damaged heart cells, heart chamber walls are impaired and this causes weak contractions.  Weak contraction reduces the heart's ability to adequately pump enough oxygenated blood to meet the system's demand.

I was treated with medication and that helped reduce the heart's workload, and eventually my cardiac output returned to normal  and heart size is normal as well.  Some people function well with a low cardiac output (EF, ejection fraction...normal is 55 to 75) as the system has good compensating factors. Hope this helps give you a perspective.

[jamesho]

Hi Kenkeith/oksana,

My father had severe heart attack in Jan 2010. since then his EF (heart pumping rate) has dropped to 15% (as of today 29th Oct 2010).

He has undergone bypass surgery in May 2010 but didn't make any different but actually worsened his heart condition.

I would like to know the medicine/treatment you've taken to improve heart condition.

Kindly waiting for your earlier response.

Thanks
JH

[kenkeith]

QUOTE: "I would like to know the medicine/treatment you've taken to improve heart condition".

If the heart is overworked and enlarged on that basis, the appropriate treatment would be reduce the workload.  Often the high resistance of narrow, stenotic vessels places a burden on the heart, and the medication would be to relax the vessels with an ACE inhibitor.  That was the underlying cause for my low EF.

If there is heart muscle damage (necrotic heart cells), there is medication that can increase contractions. If the heart cells are not dead, sometimes revasculation (stent, etc.) can revitalize with a good blood/oxygen supply.  

If there is heart structual problem such as heart valves, hole in the heart (wall that separates the left and right chambers) can be corrected with intervention.  

To provide a better answer one would need to know the underlying cause.

Thanks for your question, and if you have a followup you are welcome to replay.  take care.

[Bimibrat]

He is 88. What the heck do u expect!?