SEVERE Hypothyroid with a heart that only has one good artery after angioplasty

  My sister is having angioplasty in the morning and tonight they told us that she also has SEVERE hypothyroid.  All we know is that they told us that it is a REAL problem, because she only has ONE artery that is any good, once it is cleaned out AGAIN.  She was born with the other arteries ittybitty - too small to get anything into, including shunts, and our family history, the veins in arms and legs are bad/weak.
  I am all the family she has left, so she is looking to me to research for
  her so she can know ANY optional treatments in regard to this.  All she (and I) understands is that severe hypothyroid with cardiac problems can be very hard to correct and/or manage.Why is that? and what are the options?
  Please advise...
  Thank you in advance.
  Jeanne Taylor
  Springfield, Missouri
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Dear Jeanne
Severe hypothyroidism needs to be corrected with a synthetic thyroid hormone pill. Most likely your sister will need to take the pill the rest of her life. Hypothyroidism that is severe can cause heart failure if left untreated. However, replacement thyroid medicine can provoke angina, which is why I suspect your doctors are going to do the angioplasty first, and then start treating the thyroid condition. Hypothyroidism can also cause an elevated cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
I hope this is useful. Feel free to write back. I wish you the best of luck.
If you would like to set up an appointment with one of our cardiologists here at the Cleveland Clinic please feel free to call 1-800-CCF-CARE.
Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your physician(s).