Blockage Help

[Trudy9734]

My husband recently had chest pains. I made him go to the doctor,
whom then sent him to a cardiologist. He had him do a stress test.
The cardiologist, said he didn't see anything wrong, NO blockages, he
wasn't sure if my husband would have a heart attack or not, but my
husband started having chest pains during the stress test, so he told
him he needed to have a dye test done.

We got the dye test done, which revealed one artery 100% blocked, one
at 90-99% blocked and another at 50 to60% blocked. The doctors that
did the dye test, told him, he was more of a bypass candidate, but
that they couldn't do bypass until the 50-60% percent blocked artery
was at least 70% blocked.

We followed up with our regular doctor in one week, explained all
this to him, he suggested that we get back in touch with the
cardiologist next week rather than wait the month we were told to. In
the mean time, our regular doctor called the cardiologist himself,
spoke with him, then the cardiologist called my husband, and told him
that he didn't agree with what the doctors had told him about the dye
test in terms of needing bypass surgery one day. That he thinks it
can all be controlled with meds, and that the 100% blocked artery is
NOT even a concern because it's being supplied blood via another
vein.

Aren't we sitting around waiting for a heart attack to happen? His
chest pains have gone now due to the medication he's on, however he
was having unstable angina. Does this information that this
cardiologist is giving us sound right at all? He's not concerned
about a 100% blocked artery? I would really rather my husband didn't
have a heart attack first, but if this is the proper course of action
here, that's great. But I'm very concerned here. My Husband just
turned 50 He has a VERY strong family history of heart disease His
cholesterol was checked prior to the dye test it came back 183 total,
HDL 29 LDL 145. He is now taking Lipitor, Toperal, Plavix, Asprin.
Please help with any advice. Thank You.

[kenkeith]

I am somewhat confused when you distinquish between a stress test and a dye test?  A dye test would use a contrast medium injected into the system to observe perfusion at rest and during exercise.  A stress test does view images for perfusion.

QUOTE:
"We got the dye test done, which revealed one artery 100% blocked, one
at 90-99% blocked and another at 50 to60% blocked. The doctors that
did the dye test, told him, he was more of a bypass candidate, but
that they couldn't do bypass until the 50-60% percent blocked artery
was at least 70% blocked".
__________________________________________________________
Was it the tech who performed the test make the comments? The ethical protocol is not to stent any lesions less than 70% unless medication does not control...Open heart surgery (bypass) should not even be a consideration! According to the American Academy of Cardiology and American Hospital Association guidelines.
___________________________________________________________

QUOTE:
"... the cardiologist called my husband, and told him
that he didn't agree with what the doctors had told him about the dye
test in terms of needing bypass surgery one day. That he thinks it
can all be controlled with meds, and that the 100% blocked artery is
NOT even a concern because it's being supplied blood via another
vein".
___________________________________________

Often when there is 100% vessel blockage, the system develops a natural bypass with what is medically termed collateral vessels.  I have known about a 100% blockage of my LAD for the last 5 years, and there are collateral vessels supplying the deficit area. I see the cardiologist twice a year, and have never had any problems whatsoever...I feel fine and tests continue to be negative.

Aspirin and plavix can present a problem especially if an individual has a bleeding issue.  I take aspirin only as does many other heart patients. You should talk to the doctor about that issue.