Translate Dr into English

[mrswheble]

I’m attempting to translate my Dad’s consultant discharge notes for my mum and Dr Google has failed me.

He has:

LAD: Severe proximal lesion involving D1 and D2 - significant territory.

What does that mean?

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello,

I hope your dad is recovering from his recent heart problems.

LAD -Left anterior descending artery is one of the coronary arteries it has 3 diagonal blood vessel branches leading off it. Diagonal 1, 2 and 3 or D1, D2 and D3.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

You have had good answers that do not need further expanding. Reading through the extract of the letter I would observe:

i) His LDL cholesterol is very high and needs addressing. Is he on a statin?

ii) The BG (blood glucose) is somewhat elevated suggesting he is diabetic. It is important this is well controlled for optimal outcome to any treatment. Have they suggested stenting?

iii) It appears only the LAD is affected which whilst the most significant coronary artery this is good news.

[firstlight40]

Hello, welcome is that all the notes? I'd expect there to be information about the state of the RCA (right coronary artery) and LCX (left circumflex) artery. With the LAD these are the 3 main heart arteries and as there has been an angiogram done (this is the PPCI bit) the cardiologist would have had a look at all 3 arteries.

I'd also expect there to be information about treatment, for example stents (there would be information about the number and size of the stents) or need for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or heart bypass.

Hope that helps.

[mrswheble in reply to firstlight40]

The RCA was blocked (he had a STEMI) and has been stented. The other is fine. I couldn’t understand the LAD description but the comments above have really helped 😊

[Qualipop in reply to mrswheble]

I had the same problem; needed a medical degree to translate it so I asked my GP. He went through it in detail and explained everything

[RufusScamp]

I translated my discharge letter and rather wished I hadn't. I would have cancelled a wonderful Swiss mountain holiday if I had understood what was wrong earlier.