suggestions on test repetition

[johanni]

Could someone please advise on how often one should get tested for your heart.Assumung I have had a clear cath 4 months ago, when should a test like this be repeated.I have posted here before and in the doctors forum and advice has been helpfull.Even after all this testing in the past six months I still get chest pains and pain radiating into the arm.I am 40 yrs old with low cholesterol and very fit.Doctors are at a loss as to what this could be.Clear cath.clear stress echoes etc.but still getting chest pain.Any advice appreciated.
Regards.

[Chatter†Ally]

I have been dealing with the same. I was recently in the ER and admitted, but was discharged with a diagnosis of angina. Everything I read tells me that angina is a prelude to a heart attack. I have 2 stents in my heart, have suffered 3 heart attacks and it's hard to tell the difference. I'm afraid that if I get used to shrugging this off, I will go down with a major heart attack. Have you consulted another Dr?

[Toneman]

Wow, that's a tough one. If a recent cath was clear and you are still having pain, I think I would get a second opinion. Why did they do the cath if you had a clear stress echo, was it because of the continued pain? Normally the cath is the final word on CAD, but if the pain is still there you need to try another cardiologist and see what they think needs to happen. I know I started having these pains in Feb 06 and had all the tests, everything negative and repeated them in Mar 06, still negative. Went to a Rheumatologist who put me on medication for RA and the pain went away.I also had a diseased gallbladder removed in May 06 so that may have been a cause as well. In your case, I think I would see another cardiologist to rule out the heart before I started looking elswhere.

Good Luck,
Tony

[Chatter†Ally]

[surfgirl]

I disagree with repeat tests....your heart has been ruled out.......this is kicking a dead horse....... at least you know for sure your heart is fine....there must be another reason.....reflux, respiratory, muscular, etc.  If you do a lot of training, it very well could be musculo-skeletal.

[johanni]

Thank you all for your replies.I have had a second opinion and the cardiologist also ruled out the heart as the cause.He even did a 64 ct angiogram of the coronaries and found them all clear.This was about 2 months ago.Just curious to know how long it can take for the arteries to clog up after having clear tests.Surely this is not a process that happens in a few months.My doctors agrees with you surfgirl, but its so frustrating when these symptoms occur.Thank you all for your replies.

[deedle1976]

I thought it took years for arteries to clog.

[surfgirl]

I had chest pain for years with clear arteries..............across my chest, shoulders, left arm, jaw, even my ears................they told me to live with it............it went away, slowly.

[Tarheelguy1967]

Not sure how long it takes for arteries to clog, but early last year I had 3 stents (1 DES, 2 bare metal) put in my LAD.  Within 4 weeks, I had another heart cath and had another blockage and they added a 4th stent (DES) in my LAD.  Within another few months, the stents had blocked completely and I had angioplasty.  And to follow that up two months later, they had blocked completely again and I had another stent put under the 2 bare stents for a total of 5 stents in my LAD.  I also have continuous chest pain, but am working to distinguish between basic angina to pain caused by a blockage.  Hard to do, but I'm trying.  The docs think I probably have small artery/vessel disease which is pretty benign according to them and untreatable.  However, they did put me on Ranexa which is a new drug for angina and it might be helping since I've felt a little better lately.  Instead of having problems every day/all day, I'm getting to where I only feel really bad a few times a week and not for a long time.  So all in all, doing much better.  I've already been checked for all the other stuff (GERD, respiratory, etc) and that was clear.  I just think that some of us will take a lot of time to start feeling better - I've decided to be patient and again, try and distinguish between the different symptoms.  Good luck to all!

[rickreeves2008]

Had two drug stents placed a year ago.Since Have had 6 heart caths due to chest pains.Was on Plavix,until I started to bleed,was taken off Plavix for 3 weeks.Been off two weeks and started having cheat pains and tired feeling all the time.

[avinashchand]

Hi,

My father is having CAD -triple vessel disease and severe LV dysfunction.
Can  you please suggest what can be the best treatment  for him.

Thanks in advance.
Avinash