Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
PFO
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
PFO
by MaryRose, Aug 23, 2004 12:00AM
First,I would like to thank all the MD's at the Clinic form this service. I am a repeat patient. My first question was posted in 1998 after a stroke due to a PFO (12-14 mm). I had repeated problems with TIA's on Coumadin so had surigal closure at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago)in 2001. My surgeon was great. Recovery was excellent. Unfortunately, this past June I experienced a TIA again and after many tests it was determined that I have a residual hole (seen on TEE). The location is very close to my Aorta so I was told that a Cardioseal device is not the choice and was placed on Plavix and ASA.
My concerns are great. I am 48 yr old female. Could you give me an opinion. Color doppler demonstrates trivial aortic insufficiency, trivial mitral regurgitation and "at least" mild tricuspid regurgitation with border pulmonary hypertension.
I have been in touch with my surgeon who has since moved to University of Colorado. (Mailed him the recent TEE CD). My concerns are:
1)My prognosis and quality of life in the future
2)Taking trip to Europe next week I'm worried about the flight
3) Would you reccommend a second Cardio opinion?
Thank You , Mary R
My concerns are great. I am 48 yr old female. Could you give me an opinion. Color doppler demonstrates trivial aortic insufficiency, trivial mitral regurgitation and "at least" mild tricuspid regurgitation with border pulmonary hypertension.
I have been in touch with my surgeon who has since moved to University of Colorado. (Mailed him the recent TEE CD). My concerns are:
1)My prognosis and quality of life in the future
2)Taking trip to Europe next week I'm worried about the flight
3) Would you reccommend a second Cardio opinion?
Thank You , Mary R
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Aug 23, 2004 12:00AM
, Aug 23, 2004 12:00AM
mary,
sorry to hear of your events. Thanks for posting.
1)My prognosis and quality of life in the future.
This is really impossible to comment on. Since you failed coumadin, there is no good data on the benefit of aspirin/plavix over coumadin. I would be interested in making sure the TIA was indeed due to the PFO and not that you happened to have a TIA and the PFO was just a coincidence. Thus, I would be interested to know if you have ever had a documented clot as the source of your emboli to cause the TIA. Also, I would be interested in your coaguabilty profile. Certain conditions associated with TIA/CVA such as antiphospholipid antibodies require coumadin to be dosed higer then normal, thus if this were a cause you could still have symptoms on coumadin.
2)Taking trip to Europe next week I'm worried about the flight
Long flights have been associated with TIA/CVA in patients with PFO's. These are case reports. Either way, you should try to do regular leg exercises and get up occasionally on the flight to decrease the risk of venous thrombus formation given your previous history.
3) Would you reccommend a second Cardio opinion?
Yes. A fresh set of eyes may be helpful in both determining your closure options and if there is any other management option. I might suggest Dr. Tuzcu at the clinic for reviewing your closure options. It might also be helpful to see a vascular medicine specialist to discuss your anticoagulation options.
good luck
sorry to hear of your events. Thanks for posting.
1)My prognosis and quality of life in the future.
This is really impossible to comment on. Since you failed coumadin, there is no good data on the benefit of aspirin/plavix over coumadin. I would be interested in making sure the TIA was indeed due to the PFO and not that you happened to have a TIA and the PFO was just a coincidence. Thus, I would be interested to know if you have ever had a documented clot as the source of your emboli to cause the TIA. Also, I would be interested in your coaguabilty profile. Certain conditions associated with TIA/CVA such as antiphospholipid antibodies require coumadin to be dosed higer then normal, thus if this were a cause you could still have symptoms on coumadin.
2)Taking trip to Europe next week I'm worried about the flight
Long flights have been associated with TIA/CVA in patients with PFO's. These are case reports. Either way, you should try to do regular leg exercises and get up occasionally on the flight to decrease the risk of venous thrombus formation given your previous history.
3) Would you reccommend a second Cardio opinion?
Yes. A fresh set of eyes may be helpful in both determining your closure options and if there is any other management option. I might suggest Dr. Tuzcu at the clinic for reviewing your closure options. It might also be helpful to see a vascular medicine specialist to discuss your anticoagulation options.
good luck
