TREATMENTS FOR HEART FAILURE

Posted By LINDA on June 17, 1998 at 13:06:50:







My Dad has been turned down for transplant due to age (66) and being a diabetic at
center near us.  The only alternative they gave him a research study with a new
drug that is supposed to be more powerful than dobutamine.  In the stude he will
either receive the new drug or milrinone.  
Is there any other drugs or procedures at the Cleveland Clinic that may benefit him?
Would he be considered as a candidate for a long term LVAD?
He has been told he can expect to live 1 to 3 years.  He is currently taking Lanoxicaps,
Capoten, Lasix, Zaroxolyn(as needed), tagamet, allopurinol, coumadin, and theo-dur.
He had a triple bypass and artifical mitral valve in Feb 97. In January he started have
more severe problems with CHF.  He has been hospitalized twice, once for dobutamine and t
the second time for unstable angina (he was also given dobutamine at that time.)
How long would he have to stay either in the hospital or in the Cleveland area
to be evaluated?  Would the Clinic in Ft Lauderdale be able to do part of the
evaluation?
thank you for any information.