I’m a 52 yo with a family history of heart disease. Mum and grandmother both passed away with heart attacks aged 57.
I’ve had a constant cough for years now. Diagnosed as Eosinophilic Bronchitis, but none of the drugs help. Don’t get particularly wheezy or breathless, except when running, though I am slowing down.
Often suffer chest pain - central front, under ribs and towards back. Sometimes into shoulder. ECGs and X-rays in A&E in 2019 showed nothing. Pain put down to Chostochronditis.
Is there a case, with the family history for further tests, maybe an Echocardiogram? Or am I overthinking this? Despite all the symptoms of HD and all the tests possible at the time (30 years ago), mum was told she was fine till the day she died.
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folkieboater
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Like you, I have family history of heart attacks. Father died at 53, brother died at 62.
Around 2006 I started getting short of breath and coughing, particularly in the morning.
Because I have plural plaques/thickening in both lungs from exposure to asbestos they started looking at plural reasons.
For the next ten years I was diagnosed with borderline asthma. No inhalers really worked. I was put into booths for breathing tests. Specialists said...
I was over weight (I was just slightly over my BMI) looking at me you wouldn’t say I was over weight.
They said I had reflux, scans showed I didn’t.
I even had an operation on my nose to reduce catarrh going down the back of my throat causing coughing.
Nothing worked.
2016 I had an “event” whilst walking in the forest on a frosty day.
I was told I had an asthma attack and to take extra puffs on my inhaler.
Luckily i saw a GP that said he thought i had a heart attack.
Since then I’ve had five stents, five bypasses and a few more close shaves.
Stopped taking inhalers since hart attack.
My breathing and coughing problems were down to angina.
I was lucky that I survived my first heart attack out on my own walking in the New Forest.
After my heart attack an ECG showed normal. An angiogram showed I had heart disease.
The asthma is now on my file as dormant!
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My name is Bond, James Bond and I take my soluble aspirin shaken not stirred. 🍸
Hi both my grandparents died when my dad was 10 he himself passed away at 62 and I collapsed at 58 it turns out I had arymogenic cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure, to be honest I had ignored symptoms for years I don't think I ever felt well but because there was nothing specific, no chest pains or anything I just struggled on till that day, I needed a transplant which I was lucky enough to get last year, after tests were done on my own heart it was found out that I was born with a faulty gene, my two sons and brother are now waiting to get tested, I am also waiting on an appointment to discuss it, I so hope they are all ok, we have been waiting six months now due to covid,because of my experience I think it would definitely worth looking into your family history, char
Like you I have a family history of early death from heart attacks. Father grandparents sister only 32. Went hospital 3 times with chest pain ,had ecg bp sent home as no problem with heart. Next night collapsed and died with massive heart attack, when I had chest pains, told history was given angiogram immediately needed triple by pass.if my sister hadn’t died I would have. Only real test is angiogram which they rarely do . Insist on it .
It may well be that you need one, and I would certainly be assertive and persistent in asking your doctor about it given your symptoms and family history, but just to balance things I would say that one sound reason that angiograms are not done at the drop of the hat is that they are an invasive procedure and like any surgery carry some small risks. I had one and I'm glad I did because I needed it (although my arteries turned out to be normal), but I wouldn't be in a hurry to have another unless I really felt it was needed. I felt quite poorly for 10 days afterwards. Of course, if you have heart disease, it could save your life for sure. My advice would be to see another GP and quiz them assertively on whether they are completely confident you don't need to see a cardiologist for assessment. If the GP won't refer you to a cardiologist and you can afford it, book to see a cardiologist privately. It will probably cost about £250 for an initial meeting with them. A cardiologist will be in a much better place to judge whether you need investigation or not. If you do need investigation they can write to your GP telling them you need it. The GP will then have no choice but to refer you for investigation on the NHS.
I have a very strong family history of heart disease; grandfather was the only one of 13 siblings to get past 50; mum had heart failure and died at 67 of a heart attack. Despite complaining of breathlessness for a few years no one took any notice until I attended urgent car and a young newly qualified doctor suddenly asked and immediately said I should have an urgent stress test. Unfortunately I had a heart attack before the test could be arranged. SO my answer is yes, with your history, definitely ask for tests; ideally a stress test; the one on a treadmill that records your heart as exercise increases.
He’s a new to me guy, at a new to me practice, so we’re going back to basics.
Booked on Monday for bloods inc cholesterol, Sputum, ECG and chest X-ray. Monitor BP at home.
Referrals in depending on findings. He said he wouldn’t rule out cardiologist, but wanted to see some non invasive tests first to justify any referral.
More progress than I made recently with my old practice.
Hi there, my father died aged 72 (lasted a lot longer than some of the other unfortunate people above!) He repeatedly went to his GP complaining of pain in his shoulder, eventually he had the heart attack that killed him. Fast forward 6 years & while seeing my GP for a medical I mentioned to him I had been getting out of breath, this had come on quite quickly, he was very dismissive but sent me for an treadmill ecg, blood tests & a chest x-ray, all clear. 7 years later, February last year ,I suffered near fatal HA, even during it while sat in A&E everything presented as normal until my bloods came back. An angiogram is the only sure way to find out but they are reluctant to do them as they do carry an element of risk (cardiologists words not mine). I hope you have a satisfactory outcome.
Last summer I went for a treadmill stress test, I was having similar discomfort as yourself. After the stress test , I was then sent for a cardiac angiogram (the one where they go through your wrist artery to the heart) . For me it turned out that there was no blockage, which at least allowed me, and my doctor to relax knowing my arteries were not the problem. So maybe ask for a stress test, and if your pain is/isn't angina it will pick that up.
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