Heart Failure following Pneumonia

[Troubled246]

Hi everybody, I was wondering if anybody could help.  My Father was admitted in to hospital last week following a chest infection which led to pneumonia and heart failure.  He has been in hospital for over 10 days and is recovering well.  They are due to be sending him home tomorrow, the infection has cleared and virtually all the fluid in his lungs has disappeared, apart from the left lung for which they are going to give him medication.

However, whilst recovering a couple of times he has suffered from very minor seizures, lasting for about 10 seconds. The nurses have immediately carried out observations and his vital signs are absolutely normal.  The Doctors are not prepared to make a diagnosis until he is fit enough to have a cardiogram in a couple of weeks.
I am really worried about him coming home, with this condition.

Does anybody know what this could be?  why is he having these fits? Is there something wrong with his heart?

Any light anybody can shed would be much appreciated.

[kenkeith]

needless to say!

[neil_a]

You said: "this very anxious time for me"

Well - it certainly should be for him, you and your Mum.  I'd be a bundle of nerves.

For Crying Out Loud - wouldn't you think that the least that could be done is have a Home Health Care Nurse come in and check his vitals daily and get his primary care  physician to calm him down with some Anxiety medication - until his cardiogram.

And get sometime for your Mum too.

Until the unknown is clarified - at 70 years of age - it is a rude awakening - to be thrust into the Health Care Field.

Blessings to you all.

Neil

[kenkeith]

I understand.  The family is almost always involved, and there is stress to that circumstance as well. Hope it goes well for you and your family.

[Troubled246]

Thank you for your response. I really appreciate it in this very anxious time for me. My Father has never really been ill, so its a bit of a shock for me - but i guess it is to be expected that at 70 he will start to develop some health problems.

I guess I am worried that he will be sent home without it being resolved and my mum will have to deal with the anxiety that he could have these seizures until he is fit enough to have his cardiogram.

Thank you once again.

[kenkeith]

QUOTE:"Does anybody know what this could be?  why is he having these fits? Is there something wrong with his heart?"

Sorry to hear about your father's condition.
The condition can be related to abnormal heart rhythm that deprives the brain of oxygen or other conditions that irrate the brain and that includes certain drugs, infections, fever and/or a low level of oxygen in the blood, or a very low level of sugar in the blood.

A doctor would have to do a differential diagnoses and may have already ruled out an abnormal heartbeat.  I had a silent heart attack 6 years ago, and my oxygen level  was low and that condition was corrected prior to hospital discharge (I'm sure the doctor has ruled that out).  Also, a blood test would rule out low level of sugar in the blood.

Infection and fever could be the underlying cause as well as the medication, and as your father's system adjusts to the medication and recovery from the respiratory condition, there may not be any further seizures.  Take care.