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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Re: ASH
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Re: ASH
by CCF CARDIO MD APS, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By CCF CARDIO MD-APS on January 05, 1999 at 11:06:34:
In Reply to: ASH posted by Patti on January 03, 1999 at 22:47:02:
I was diagnosed with ASH last year after having an EKG that was abnormal. I then had a stress echo that I didn't do to well on either. The cardiologist found some thickening of the wall of my heart. He then did an angiogram to make sure there was no blockage. I went for my echo this year and it has changed very little but my mitral valve is leaking mild to moderate. I have shortness of breath with palpitations that are very disturbing. My blood pressure is also about 140/98 most of the time; he has started me on verapamil for blood pressure. I also have hypthyroidism.
My mother has mitral valve prolapse and her tricuspid valve leaks also. I guess what I want to know is: Are the symptoms going to get better; the tiredness, shortness of breath, palpitations; or am I going to live with this the rest of my life? When I had my EKG my cardiologist told me that by looking at it he would have said I had had a heart attack but that since I was only 42 it had to be something else. Thank you for your time and sorry my letter is so long.
Patti
___
Dear Patti,
ASH, I think you mean atrial septal hypertrophy, this is usually due to lipomatous
infiltration of the atrial septum from obesity. Patients with this condition are
usually prone to atrial arrhythmias, but there is a cure for the disease and that
is weight loss.
As for the shortness of breath and fatigue, these need further investigation if not
explanation; low blood counts, prescription drugs, and lung disease can be the cause of this
and not just the heart, and certainly not ASH.
In a small percentage of young people the ecg will appear abnormal and simply
warrants further investigation as you have had done. If the cardiac cath/angiogram you had
showed no blockages it is highly unlikely that you have had a heart attack, i.e. heart
muscle damage.
Discuss these issues with the cardiologist and your primary physician, i.e.
what type of ASH do you have, is there any treatment, what do they think the cause
of your fatique and shortness of breath are??? Keep in mind that instantaneous answers
are not possible, for instance once the blood pressure is well controlled it would be
interesting to see if you feel better.
It also is very ambiguous when you say you did not do well on your stress test.
It is of the utmost importance to your health to start a daily aerobic exercise
program under the guidance of your physicians.
hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your
physician
can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire
online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the
cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
In Reply to: ASH posted by Patti on January 03, 1999 at 22:47:02:
I was diagnosed with ASH last year after having an EKG that was abnormal. I then had a stress echo that I didn't do to well on either. The cardiologist found some thickening of the wall of my heart. He then did an angiogram to make sure there was no blockage. I went for my echo this year and it has changed very little but my mitral valve is leaking mild to moderate. I have shortness of breath with palpitations that are very disturbing. My blood pressure is also about 140/98 most of the time; he has started me on verapamil for blood pressure. I also have hypthyroidism.
My mother has mitral valve prolapse and her tricuspid valve leaks also. I guess what I want to know is: Are the symptoms going to get better; the tiredness, shortness of breath, palpitations; or am I going to live with this the rest of my life? When I had my EKG my cardiologist told me that by looking at it he would have said I had had a heart attack but that since I was only 42 it had to be something else. Thank you for your time and sorry my letter is so long.
Patti
___
Dear Patti,
ASH, I think you mean atrial septal hypertrophy, this is usually due to lipomatous
infiltration of the atrial septum from obesity. Patients with this condition are
usually prone to atrial arrhythmias, but there is a cure for the disease and that
is weight loss.
As for the shortness of breath and fatigue, these need further investigation if not
explanation; low blood counts, prescription drugs, and lung disease can be the cause of this
and not just the heart, and certainly not ASH.
In a small percentage of young people the ecg will appear abnormal and simply
warrants further investigation as you have had done. If the cardiac cath/angiogram you had
showed no blockages it is highly unlikely that you have had a heart attack, i.e. heart
muscle damage.
Discuss these issues with the cardiologist and your primary physician, i.e.
what type of ASH do you have, is there any treatment, what do they think the cause
of your fatique and shortness of breath are??? Keep in mind that instantaneous answers
are not possible, for instance once the blood pressure is well controlled it would be
interesting to see if you feel better.
It also is very ambiguous when you say you did not do well on your stress test.
It is of the utmost importance to your health to start a daily aerobic exercise
program under the guidance of your physicians.
hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your
physician
can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire
online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the
cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
