How to effectively manage heart failure?

Question

Hi doctor,

My husband was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure and a 25 percent ejection fraction. They also found an artery that was 100 percent blocked, but his body had developed a new vein that was viable, so bypass surgery was not necessary. Additionally, they discovered that his mitral valve is stiffened and not functioning properly, and there is some kidney damage. We are scheduled for a scope procedure, which will help determine how to address the mitral valve.

Will they conduct any additional tests to determine the cause of his condition? He has mentioned that he used steroids during his bodybuilding days and drinks alcohol occasionally, but now he drinks every night and has continued using mild steroids until this issue occurred. They plan to conduct tests to investigate the cause. Could this be linked to a virus or abuse? I am trying to learn as much as I can before our next appointment, as my husband is not always fully honest with his doctors.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your inquiry, Madam. It is good to see that you are concerned about your husband's health. Yes, both alcohol and steroids can be harmful to the heart. It is important that your husband never uses these dangerous substances again, especially now that his ejection fraction is only 25 percent. Regarding the mitral valve, the treatment options depend on the degree of narrowing. If the narrowing is severe, the options include surgery to replace the valve or a procedure called percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV), where a balloon is inflated to widen the valve.

If the narrowing is not severe, medications for heart failure should be sufficient for your husband. Please follow the doctor’s advice and ensure he takes the prescribed medications. It is also important to get the annual flu vaccination and the pneumonia vaccine every five years. If his ejection fraction remains at 25 percent and does not improve, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may be recommended to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest.

I hope this helps you.