My mum was amitted to hospital last week with heart problems. Turned out to be angina.
She was also diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse with Atrial Fibrillation 5 years ago, after having symptoms for as long as she can remember, but not serious enough for her to worry til then.
When she had chest x-rays last week in the report it noted an obvious chest deformity. Pectus Excavatum. The chest caves in a little. We haven't seen a cardiologist for the official diagnosis yet, but we assume as she's gotten older the condition may've worsened, putting more pessure on her heart & lungs (she's also breathless alot).
I've had some of these symptoms too, but I can't tell whats a normal chest & whats not IYGWIM. I'm not too worried about myself yet.
But I wonder about the kids. DD2 was born with a murmer in the mitral area. She had an ECG & ultrasound at 2.5 that showed it was innocent. But I still wonder. I've felt all the kids chests & DD2 & DD3 have a more noticeable dip in theirs than DD1 & DS.
So, obviously I'm not going to worry until mum's been to the cardiologist & we know more about whats going on with her. But I'm wondering if I should worry or not? I don't want them suddenly having a heart attack one day because they didn't know they had a condition like this & ignored the signs. Most of mums family died from heart failure/attack.
I don't have personal experience with pectus excavatum or MVP but I am a nurse and have worked for a number of years on a cardiothoracic surgical unit.
MVP depending on its severity can be managed with medication and observation or surgery if the prolapse is more severe and the person is symptomatic. Surgical management can include repair of the mitral valve leaflets or replacement with a prosthetic valve or a tissue valve. Prosthetic valve replacement requires lifelong use of anticoagulant medication, such as warfarin but generally they last longer than tissue valves. A number of factors including patient preference is taken into account when deciding on the type of valve replacement. If your Mum is already on warfarin for atrial fibrillation and needs a valve replacement it is likely they would use a prosethetic valve.
Pectus excavatum can often be familial. Its not uncommon. MVP and PE can be part of other syndromes. If you have a strong family history of cardiac disease I would mention it to your GP next time you take the kids for a check up. Not as something urgent just to have it noted and then they can suggest if there are any further investigation needed. Possible investigations if indicated after the GP assess you and your little ones would be listening for a murmur, Chest xray, ECG or ECHO (Ultrasound of the heart).
Your Mum's shortness of breath is more likely related to the mitral valve prolapse than the PE unless it is signicant PE, as in adulthood PE doesn' t tend to get significantly worse but MVP tends to be a progressive problem unless the person has progressive scoliosis and beocmes more bent over and the chest is further compressed by the bending of the back in conjunction with the PE. Angina can also cause shortness of breath. Is someone going with your mum to her appointment with the cardiologist? If she is comfertable it can help to take an extra set of ears or two to ask question and retain the information.
Hope your mum is on the mend. Heart related problems can be very scary but the heart is an area that medicine understands very well and there are many successful treatments available for cardiac problems.
I hope I haven't overloaded you with too much info, if I have just ignore my babble. Try not to over think it too much until you hear what the cardiologist has to say
The MVP wasn't severe enough that they even put in any course of action when she was diagnosed. All she was told was to keep stress levels down & leave it at that. & other than occasional palpatations & shortness of breath she's been fine til a few months ago. It was only last week she started talking about the 'squeezing' feeling (angina) with me. Its been getting progressively worse over the past 6 months (the time I've been over here & not close enough to talk to her about this sort of stuff).
Thanks for explaining the PE to me. I didn't know that it doesn't really get worse in adult hood. Just finding out all this new info & trying to piece it all together somehow. Its a little confusing & I really hope I am able to go to the cardio with her. It'll be a bit difficult with the kids, but I might be able to work it out.
It is a strong family history, but even still, my great grandfather & his brothers all lived to a very old age. My great grandfather was 97! My grandmother was also diagnosed with MVP (no AF as far as I know) as a teen, but has never had a symptom. She's almost 80.
It is a lot to take in & alot to NOT stress about I'm not worried about the kids or myself, just helps to know the chances of one of us possibly going through the same.
It is scary. I never want a phone call like I got that night again But at least if it does happen again, we know whats going on. It was the unkown that really scared me last week.
Pectus Excavatum
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I'm not worried about the kids or myself, just helps to know the chances of one of us possibly going through the same.
But at least if it does happen again, we know whats going on. It was the unkown that really scared me last week.
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