CHD Diagnosis & Scared

[Mlvclove]

I’m 53. I was diagnosed with CHD earlier this year. I’m being treated with medication as I have severe disease in the LAD and moderate disease in the others. My cardiologist said it’s difficult to stent hence I’m being managed by medication only. My heart is working at the lower limit of normal as confirmed by my MRI in the summer.

I was admitted to hospital last week with chest heaviness and breathlessness, which are new symptoms, and an elevated troponin of 25. I was discharged home with no treatment and I have contacted my cardiologist to advise of this change, but no response.

I’m worried I’ve gone into heart failure and I’m in a panic and have a sense of doom.

if you’ve read this far - thank you. I just wondered if anyone has any advice, although I do realise only my cardiologist can diagnose.

[Lowerfield_no_more]

You appear to be in a bit of an information void about a possible deterioration in your heart health given your recent trip to A&E. All I can suggest is that you look what your discharge notes say about your medical condition and what if anything is intended for you post discharge. Certainly in my medically untrained view a troponin of 25 is borderline heart attack, subject to the testing method used by the hospital, so if you have now returned to normal that may bear that out. As for your cardiologist feedback to you I suggest you contact your cardiologist's medical secretary at the hospital concerned and ensure that your query is in a place where it will be looked at and find out roughly when you will get a response, and then if you have not got the response after a reasonable time chase it up. But I suggest until you get that response and you really can't conclude you have gone into HF. Finally if it's any help I went to A&E with mild chest pains nearly 7 years ago, and had a troponin of 35, was told I had had an NSTEMI and was admitted, and the angiogram that ensued found my arteries were in a very similar condition to yours but stenting was not recommended due to the position of the blockages. And so at present nearly 7 years on I have no deterioration in heart health as far as I can tell, and an angiogram done about 3 years back found no significant change in my artery condition, and live what I consider to be a normal life unrestricted by heart health issues.

[Stent2024 in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

When I went to an and e last November with angina symptoms , my troponin level was 45 . Was told they thought I’d had MI . Test repeated after 6 hours , and level dropped slightly , so they said I hadn’t as 1 ecg was normal , the others showed ischemic changes . So said it was just angina . Ended up with stent a few weeks later as rca 95% blocked

[Mlvclove in reply to Stent2024]

Thank you so much for your response. This is pretty similar to me, except I already know I have severe CHD. I presume I'm now getting symptoms of angina. All the best to you

[Stent2024 in reply to Mlvclove]

and to you . Hope you managed to have a good Xmas , and wish you well My friend

[Mlvclove in reply to Stent2024]

You too! Thank you 🙏

[Mlvclove in reply to Lowerfield_no_more]

Hello, thank you so much for your reply. Our histories do sound similar and that is so reassuring to hear! I have contacted the Cardiologist secretary (over two weeks ago) who acknowledged my email but I haven't heard anything since! I was confused by the Troponin result as it was 25 on both checks that day and they said it wasn't an NSTEMI or heart attack as the Troponin would have risen on the second check. Will wait and see what the Cardiologist says when he finally gets back to me. Thanks for your reassuring response and sharing your story with me. All the best