apprpriate initial diagnostic study post post open heart surgery

[hudsterpac]

One week post open heart surgery, a 62 year-old man has fatigue, lightheadedness, palpitations, and  shortness of breath. What is the most appropriate initial diagnostic study?

[kenkeith]

Thanks for sharing your concern.  It would help to know the cause for the open heart surgery as ed suggests..

Taking into consideration the symptoms you describe and if related to the heart indicates a low cardiac output and the appropiate test would be an echocardiogram.  The echo calculates the amount of blood pumped into circulation with each heartbeat, and views the heart's structure for any  anomolies and/or heart wall impairment that may effect the contractual strength of the heart's wall.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask on this forum as many of our members have experience that relate to your questions.

[ed34]

What exactly was the procedure done in the open heart surgery?

[erijon]

Sounds like you're a student asking for a doctor's advice, there are no doctors here. You may want to try the Expert forum, all we can give is opinion.

Jon