AF & Heart Failure

[Aquataine]

Hi

About 18 months ago my husband was diagnosed with AF and heart failure, the heart failure seemed to resolve after he had lost weight and stopped drinking. He made a slow but good recovery until recently when he got complacent and put weight back on and started having the occasion drink again. He was breathless and tired and sweaty like he was at the onset of the AF.

He is 68 and gets tired easily but apart from that is amazingly active and cheerful.

What I was wondering can heart failure be temporary and if not how do I know what stage he is in and what can we do to slow its progress.

Have been googling things and it has terrified me so any and all information and help will be gratefully received

Many thanks

Aquataine

[Ianc2]

Heart failure is never temporary. It can be treated but you have got to get there first. If he has put weight back on and started drinking again he is playing with fire. Tell him 80% of heart attack victims arrive dead in hospital and a further 10 % die in Hospital. Put another way he will have a one in ten chance of survival.

He also has to get there within 20 minutes to avoid parts of his brain starting to die.

I have seen someone drop dead in front of me while on holiday. Disastrous for his family and not at all pleasant for everyone else.

My next door neighbour went in with a stroke and another one was rushed in with heart pains, straight into the operating theatre to have stents fitted. Another two just down the street didn't get there in time and died at 60 and 68years old respectively.

Get him down the Doctors for a check and don't be surprised if he is referred on to casualty.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Ianc2]

Hi lanc2

The survival rates after a heart attack are now very good.

Most people arrive alive at hospital following a heart attack. Not necessarily so after a cardiac arrest.

With improved care including early transfer to a heart attack centre with a 24 hour angiogram and angioplasty service survival rates following a heart attack are much higher than in the past.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

The survival following an out of hospital Cardiac arrest when the heart muscle stops pumping blood around the body is only about 1 in 10.

My brother in law survived his cardiac arrest as a bystander started CPR and the paramedics arrived quickly with a defibrillator.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Ianc2 in reply to Milkfairy]

I should have been more precise. The figures I quoted were taken directly from a news report by, by a local Doctor and referred to cardiac arrest. I did genuinely find the figures shocking.

I am now considering getting a defibrillator for the local community hall. It is only 15 minutes from the local hospital but speed of access to a defibrillator seems to be vital, along with someone who can carry out CPR, or would it be better to rely on a 999 call for an ambulance?

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Ianc2]

What a brilliant idea getting a defibrillator.

When you do you can register the defibrillator with the emergency services and with Heartsafe so people can find it in an emergency.

heartsafe.org.uk/aed-locations

Also everyone should learn how to do CPR.

All my children have learned how to.

My son helped to successfully resuscitate a young girl who nearly drowned in a swimming pool a couple of years ago.

bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help...

You can also train to become a first responder too.

sja.org.uk/get-involved/vol...

[Aquataine in reply to Ianc2]

he has never had a heart attack luckily

[Fortepiano]

It is true you should never be complacent about heart failure - so definitely lose the weight and stop drinking since these seem clearly implicated in his previous problems.

I suggest you try to get another appointment with his cardiologist.

All the best

[Aquataine in reply to Fortepiano]

he is due to see his cardiologist soon thanks, and although he is not drinking a lot he had stopped altogether, trouble is drinking affects his weight