My Dad

My dad had open heart surgery about 5 months ago. At first they were going to do a stint but it wouldn't go. He hasn't felt better since then he has been running out of breath just walking to the rest room. He ended back in hospital. Last week we find out his lungs are scared from his meds for his skin. He did other test and he got to go home for the weekend. He went back on Monday and found out that it was his heart again which looked to me that it was in the same area they was clogged and that is why he had the open heart. Anyway, they were going to do the stint in that one with a ballon. When they got there they said that they could not do it because that spot is not clogged it is having seizers where the vessel or artery going into his heart is opening and closing. My dad is getting fed up and so am I. I need to know what you think this is so then I can try and bring it up with the doctors. He is getting another test done tomorrow the MRI. These test I am not sure because when they are taking them it shows the same but if it is that wouldn't we see it open and not alway closed or clogged as they put it. Please Help!

[dolfnlvr]

Variant angina is a problem that can be difficult to understand because it is NOT caused by a blockage in the artery, but a spasm that can cause the artery to close thereby stopping blood flow to certain areas of the heart.  All arteries have smooth muscle tissue surrounding them.  These muscles contract or "spasm" for currently undefined reasons in patients experiencing these variant angina attacks.  Researchers think that there is a problem with the chemistry in the cells surrounding the artery.  Normally, when constriction of arteries is ordered by the brain, smooth muscle tissues around the coronary arteries release nitrous oxide which relaxes those tissues and releases any pressure on these cardiac vessels.  So, while your generall blood pressure is increased, your cardiac vessels remain open and allow blood flow to the heart muscle.  In people with variant angina, it is believed that the mechanism that allows nitrous oxide to be released is "broken" and therefore the muscle contracts or "spasms" causing the blood supply to the heart to be dramatically slowed or stopped.  

A stent and/or angioplasty will do no good in these situations because there is no internal blockage of the artery.  The problem is the chemistry on the OUTSIDE of the artery.  

Usually, people experiencing these episodes are prescribed nitrates (nitro glycerin tablets that go under the tonge for instance) to be taken at the onset of an attack.  These nitrates are absorbed directly into the blood stream and relax ALL smooth muscle tissue including those in the heart muscle.  

Sometimes calcium channel blockers are prescribed to regulate the contractility of heart muscle tissues as well.  

Unfortunately, other than **************, there is no cure for this problem at this time.

Your doctors are not giving you the run around, they just aren't explaining themselves properly.  Once they collect more information to determine that this is indeed what is happening, your father will be placed on a drug regimine that should improve his condition dramatically.

Let me know if there is anything else we can do for you.

Take care.....

[dolfnlvr]

I don't know why the ****** showed up instead of the words drug and therapy.  But in case it happens again, the ******** in the above post means other than medication there is no "cure" for this issue.