Repeat Echo??

[eperdu]

My husband was diagnosed with CHF (viral they think) a month ago. He had an echo in the hospital that showed EF of 10%. He is MUCH improved after medication therapy, but they are not repeating the echo to see if there has been any improvement. He is 37 years old and is terrified to do anything because we don't have any evidence one way or another if he's improving.

He has his first appointment with the HF specialist on Monday, but they say they are not going to do a repeat echo then. We haven't gotten a good explanation as to why. So they are telling him to resume all "normal" activities, but not giving us any testing or evidence to go on. We don't know if he's improving, or if his heart is failing and he's going to need a transplant. This is all just so infuriating.

So, does anyone know what a reasonable interval is to do a repeat echo??

,

[kenkeith]

I had a similar experience 6 years ago with CHF.  Apparently, with your husband's condition there is heart wall impariment due to ischemia (lack of oxygen) to heart cells, and the left ventricle enlarged causing weak contractions and low cardiac output.  Blood backs up into the lungs as the weak heart is not able to pump the blood into circulation.  Fluids leak into the lungs causing congestion.

Medication (ACE inhibitor and beta blocker) reduces the heart's workload and a few months later my heart size returned to normal and a normal EF59%.

An echo in 6 months, if no symptoms, would be appropriate to evaluate heart size and pumping efficiency.  I have not any medical problems with the medication and feel fine. Every 6 months is the schedule for consultation and  blood tests (medication can cause kidney problems).  I've had 3 echos, stress test (treadmill), CT scan 128 slice, ekg and a chest X-ray.

I resumed normal activities after 4 days in the hospital normalizing oxygen level, etc.  Hope this gives you a perspective, and your doctor is not acting without due care.  It requires some time to determine if the medication is effectve.

[Trackermom]

It is great that he feels better.  I know it is hard to wait.  I pitched a bit of a fit when my cardiologist office wasn't going to do another echo after my stress test because I had one a month before and they said the ins co most likely wouldn't pay for it.  I said but the echo's are under different circumstances and that if it most people get one after the stress test then this should not be different.  I won and got the echo and ins paid for it.

When I had my other heart problem years ago, they waited 3 months before the next echo after I started medicine.

Ask them why they wouldn't do it and ask when will the do the next one.

I'm sure others with more experience will give you more information.

Good luck,