heart disease

[gordita12912]

My Father had double bypass in 2004, hx HTN, CHF,AFIB,
mesothelioma in R lung, and NIDDM, recently we lost my mother and I had him come to stay with me because he had a bad cough. After 10 days of antibiotics and nebulizer treatments his lungs sound clearer but his chest xray showed the following: Gross cardiomegaly with tortuous ectatic-appearing aorta. No CHF or acute progress, no infiltrates or effusions.  My question is how serious is this heart condition?  His heart rate is usually 40s and 50s and irregular Bp 150/60 or lower.  he is on a number of cardio medications

[kenkeith]

Q: Gross cardiomegaly with tortuous ectatic-appearing aorta

>>>>>>The above comment indicates an enlarged heart as well as the aorta vessel is enlarged and the configuration of the vessel has abnormal twist and turns.  The aorta is a major artery that begins at the aorta valve (output from the heart's left ventricle and distributes blood down through the abdomen.  An enlarged (4.0 cm and greater is considered an aneursym) and if it continues to enlarge it may require surgery to prevent rupturing. No you know the size of the aorota?

The heart rate is lower than normal and may be due to medication.  Pulse pressure (difference between upper and lower calculations (150-60=90) is greater than 60 can indicate vessel hardening and occlusons.  Normal is 120-80 and if the usual resting pulse pressure is consistently greater than 40  the most likely basis is stiffness of the major arteries, aortic regurgitation (a leak in the aortic valve), hyperthyroidism or some combination, etc.

If your father has an echocardiogram, that would provide more information regarding the heart's viability going forward. It will calculate the dimension of the abnormal size seen with an xray and whether or not the size is causing weak contractions and a lower than nomal cardiac output.  

Hope this provides a perspective and insight into your father's health as it relates the heart.  Thanks for the question and if you have any further questions or answers you are invited to respond.  Take care and I wish your father well,    

Ken