Incessant Coughing while waiting for AVR

[Catsncrochet]

My husband (64) had AF and has now been told his aortic valve needs replacing. He is waiting for the operation. My question concerns any solution for the coughing that is wearing him out, due to fluid caused by his heart problem. He takes 1 Furosemide but was fainting on 2 so it had to be reduced to one. Any ideas please? Many thanks.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Just wondering is he on any other medication?

[Catsncrochet in reply to MichaelJH]

Apixaban, Amiodarone, rosuvastatin, fostair, thanks for your reply

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Catsncrochet]

Furosemide besides being a diuretic also lowers blood pressure. The fainting could be caused by low blood pressure so my thoughts were along the lines if he was on BP medication the doctor could think of reducing it to allow the Furosemide to be increased. However, none of the ones you have listed are BP medications. If he is taking the standard 40mg tablet I believe a 20mg one is available to up the dose by 50%. Sorry nothing else springs to mind.

[Catsncrochet in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks MichaelJH. He was fainting when on 40mg Furosrmide so it’s been reduced to 20mg. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help his coughing

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Catsncrochet]

From experience I know coughing constantly takes it out of you. Fingers crossed the teeth are sorted promptly and surgery follows shortly thereafter.

[Catsncrochet in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks

[Shar28]

Hello, I’m by no means any expert but at one point my husband was on two different diuretics. Furosemide and Spironolactone. They work differently from each other, the latter being “potassium sparing” Perhaps your husband can ask his Cardiologist or GP if adding another type of diuretic might help him - sometimes they need a little nudge and other times they don’t, but if you don’t ask you don’t know!

The BHF nurse helpline is excellent and may be able to give you pointers too. The number is 03003303311, office hours.

All the best to you both.

[Catsncrochet in reply to Shar28]

Thanks, we’ll ask