AV Fistula and Heart Problems

Hi, I'm a fairly long term patient one may say. After an bypass and some unusual events with my av fistula that I thought was long dead I think there's some case to consider a link between the av fistulas and heart problems. I'm saying heart problems just to put it nicely. About a year ago some blood was taken from my old fistula and it died off some more but with that a huge weight of stress also went away. I wasn't aware of this stress but just aware of it going away. It was a relief but also unpleasant to think that such stress had been there 33 years. Anyway, it made me think that the stress from the fistula was a major factor in my heart attacks. There are a few medical articles online but the docs never mentioned any of this when I had a bypass. Kd.

[smashandgrab]

I was not aware of the correlation but there must be some information out there on side effects of AV fistula. I will have a dig and see if I can get any info for you.

[Hidden in reply to smashandgrab]

I suspect it's one of those things that the doctors don't talk about. I only noticed after mine died down even more last year.

[smashandgrab]

I have now found a number of articles on AV Fistulas and heart failure stating that this is a well documented side effect after extended use. The articles stated that the fistula should be ligated after transplant. Statistically depending on age it was stated that there is a greater chance of sudden death from heart failure following dialysis in ESRD patients. This was from a variety of countries and has been known about since they used fistula in WW11.

Not good news sadly but you should be OK now.

[Hidden]

Thought you'd have a look. It's not good at all. Plenty of exercise brings the blood pressure down.

[smashandgrab]

Do not worry you have had the treatment and no doubt you will be feeling a lot better. You are right exercise and a healthy diet brings lots of health benefits and also makes you feel better. Sorry in delay getting back to you but have had a time back on dialysis and received a kidney on Paired and Pooled from my husband on the 1st June so far so good apart from an urinary infection from the stent.