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Doctors Lounge - Cardiology Answers
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| ddavey
- Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:48 pm |
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my 21 yr old has dilated cardiomyopathy, diagnosed in march 05. at that time her ef on echo was 35-38%. she was started on low dose of coreg and vasotec. her amount of coreg is now at 50mgs day, it was increased when she began having palpitations. she recently underwent an transesphogeal echo to study an anuerysmal bulge near the mitral aortic junction and her ef was 35% (on regular echo it was 43%) she has had this mass since birth, but since her diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, her mitral regurg has increased from mild to moderate, and there is possiblilty of replacement soon i am concerned about her ef, that there is no real improvement in her ef since diagnosis, in spite of coreg. should we expect an increase.
thank you
ddavey
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| singinRN
- Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:57 am |
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I am a registered nurse, certified in Critical Care Nursing, and will try to give you some insight into this topic. Having a child with genitic cardiac problems, you probably already know quite a bit, but bear with me. The relative unchaging Ejection Fraction (EF) numbers you are referring to, despite the relatively high dose of Coreg that your child is taking is probably due to the fact that her mitral valve is further compromised. Until this valve is repaired (or, most likely, replaced surgically), the heart will continue to have to compensate for this leaking or regurgitation of blood at the valve juncture, no matter what medication is used. So, the fact that her EF has not significantly deteriorated further is probably a good sign, depending upon how she is physically tolerating this. Many people can tolerate even lower EF's, but this is something that requires regular monitoring. Things she should be doing to keep herself healthy include watching sodium intake (2000 mg per day is generally accepted limit), monitoring and keeping a record of her weights every morning after using the toilet, reporting any increase of 2-3 pounds in one day, or whatever her MD/NP suggests, eating a balanced and healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, and controlling blood pressure. Good luck!
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| John Kenyon, CNA
- Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:56 am |
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 Hello ddavey -
I think we've discussed other aspects of your daughter's problem in another thread, but wanted to check in here and second what singinRN has said. Hopefully by now the problem has been successfully dealt with. We'd like to hear from you if should check in here in the future.
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