Non Symptom Heart Failure

[Bud57]

I was diagnosed with Heart Failure just over a year ago, my mri shows stage 3, but very fortunately I'm not showing any of the symptoms...YET!! Has anyone else experienced this stage in H/F and how are you feeling now & how long have you had H/F. Any info would be very helpful thanks.

[Hidden]

I would love to give you a definitive answer, but as my much expected MRI results have failed to materialise - I have no idea! They will be chased up and in the mean time we should accelerate my Candesartan dosage from 12 to 32mg asap to compensate for the full benefits I had gained from Entresto.

NP advises that no news is good news, and I'll take her at her word, but experience has told me otherwise. Like when they said a growth I had removed from my groin was nothing to worry about, until tests showed it to be Lymphoma and scans showed a few more Lymph nodes ithcing to join the club. A good dose of radiotherapy sorted the issue and that was 13 years ago approx.

So this time, I'm hoping NP is coprrect in her imparted information.

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi Bud57

I'm a bit at a loss here when you refer to MRI shows stage 3.

My understanding of the classes of heart failure are those based on the New York Heart Association classification system class 1 to 4, link below:-

heart.org/en/health-topics/...

If you are not showing any of the symptoms of heart failure I would have expected you to be in class 1

Have they told you what you're EF is?

[Lezzers in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

The MRI rating of class 3 has got me confused as well.

My understanding is an echo or MRI confirms the EF and the HF status is based on the EF reading whereas the NYHA rating is based on symptons (neither of them, are 100% accurate though). An echo showed kevins EF as 30 and he was diagnosed with moderate to severe HF but he's class 2 under the NYHA rating...does that make sense?

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Lezzers]

Yep that makes perfect sense.

The initial diagnosis of HF is normally based on either an Echo or a MRI which provides a figure of what the EF is- one of 30% is in theory moderate to severe.

This is where the NYHA system comes into the picture, back in 1902 they realised that the EF definition of HF based on the EF% was not a very good guide, someone could have an EF of 30% and be out jogging around Central Park while someone with at EF of 50% could be totally incapacitated, so they came up with the observational view of how the patient was as a better way of describing how the patient was managing , hence someone can have a EF of 30% but if they only have slight limitations be classed as class 2. The medics, from what I can see seem to use the NYHA system as the best way to access/quantify the condition. Hope this makes sense.

[Lezzers in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Perfect sense, well explained as usual. ☺

Still not getting any money out of me for your collection plate though! 😂

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Lezzers]

I did spend a bit of time looking at this last year, wondered why here was this EF thing and in parallel the NYHA thing so did a bit of research of the New York Heart Association to get an understanding of it. As my father used to to say "you're an inquisitive little bu**er"

Still no money on the plate! Drat - getting a crown fitted next week in dentist, expensive job. 😊

[Bud57 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi thanks for reply, they did tell me at the time but can't remember. It was confirmed as stage 3 then went to cardio rehab for 12 weeks ( which I would recommend to anyone with cardio issues). They reckoned I had dropped to stage 2. It's just not having symptoms that baffles me.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Bud57]

I would have thought that if you have no symptoms at all, that would have put you in class 1, unless they think you have some very minor symptoms which might put you in class 1 to 2

[Modeller3]

Hi bud 57 was diagnosed with heart failure last may

In June and whent to hospital with chest pain had

all the test and have Left bundle block.

Had a angiogram on Monday the rest of my heart good

Hope this helps

[GracieOS]

Hi Bud57, like others I'm confused at a stage of heart failure being given as part of MRI results? I was diagnosed with heart failure in October 2018, EF in low to mid 30's and classed as severe. However, like you, I was asymptomatic, other than extreme tideness at times. So, although my EF was low because I was asymptomatic I was classed as stage 1, maybe 2 because of the tiredness. Over a year on I'm still asymptomatic and my EF has gone up to around 50. I'm now firmly in stage 1 and I hope that will continue for a very long time. It sounds like you maybe in quite similar circumstances to me. Best wishes.

[Lezzers in reply to GracieOS]

Love that you're doing so well. Do you mind if I ask what meds you take?

[GracieOS in reply to Lezzers]

No problem, I'm on Eperenone 25mg; bisoprolol 5mg and Candesarten 32mg. I was taken off Ramipil because I got the cough as a side effect. My Cardiologist would like to increase by bisoprolol to 10mg, the recommended dose, but I have a very low resting pulse, often around 40 so he is reluctant to do so. I have ectopic beats which bisoprolol may be able to iron out but the low pulse is an issue. I'm also on sulfasalazine for rheumatoid arthritis. I was on methotrexate, but taken off it as it may of contributed to my heart failure? But no one seems to be sure. X

[Lezzers in reply to GracieOS]

Thank you. Due to meds intolerance my husband is either on low doses of the usual HF meds or not on them at all. His candesartan has recently been increased to 16mg & that has really helped him, though they want to get him on Entresto, I did wonder if you were taking that & if that was why you're doing do well. Husband is currently on 1.25 bisoprolol and his cardiologist wants to increase it but, like you, there low HR is an issue.

So pleased to hear how well you're doing

[GracieOS in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you and I hope your husband gets Entresto. I'm trying to keep my focus on the fact that I'm doing well now, at this time, I'm well aware it could change at anytime, especially as I don't know what caused my heart failure in the first place. I take my meds religiously, walk/hike with my dog regularly and watch my diet. All in the hope of maintaining my current status. I'm planning to retire early, in 18 months time, but have cut my hours already. I hope to be here in years time able to provide hope to newly diagnosed people. I've found the psychological side the hardest. Best Wishes to you and your husband x .

[Bud57 in reply to GracieOS]

That's great news thanks. I think my EF at the time was 28 ( found my wee bit of paper with info) I'm still on the same dosage as last year. They tried to increase it but I just couldn't function properly. I'm on bisoprolol 1.25 per day and ramapril 6.25 over 12 hours.