Would like to rephrase my question on Diastolic Dysfunction...

[fanta]

Thank you for the answer to my question on Diastolic dysfunction about a month or so ago.  I guess what I am trying to find out is:  Once you are diagnosed with it, do you have it for the rest of your life or does it go away with time?  That is what I am puzzled about.  Also if I can ask a couple more questions on other stuff that was mentioned to me by my primary care physician. On the results he received back on me from the cardiologists office, he also mentioned small pericardial effusion, decrease in cavity size and aortic root sclerosis.  Is that anything to worry about?  Thank you so much for your help.

[laurabell]

My mom is 74.  Is currently on Coreg and a blood pressure med.  She called me and mentioned her blood pressure was 90/50.  She gets very tired in the a.m. and must be in bed by 9 pm.  She was clamy and looked exhausted.  Blood pressure too low?

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi Fanta,

There are many reasons why you can have diastolic dysfunction, the most common being from long term hypertension ranging to the far rarer causes like amyloidosis.  The longer term prognosis and variability depends on why you have diastolic dysfunction.  This is probably not the firm answer you want to read, but more information is required before anyone can provide a definitive answer.  Diastolic dysfunction is also a continuum from normal to irreversible dysfunction.  If you are early in the continuum, it is possible that an echo on one day with heart loading conditions "A" you will have echocardiographic diastolic dysfunction and under loading conditions "B" you will not.  I think to get an answer you will have to ask your cardiologist to interpret their echo results for you.  My guess is you are thinking too much about this and that adequate blood pressure control is enough, but I can't be sure with out seeing the echo and hearing your full story.

A small pericardial effusion can be normal.  The pericardial space should have about 50 cc's of fluid in it.

Decrease in cavity size is about the same thing as saying distolic dysfunction.

Aortic sclerosis may put you at a slightly higher risk of developing aortic stenosis in the future, but for now there must not be any sign of valve narrowing.

I hope this helps answer your questions.  Good luck.