Wanting advice about mother

[Wise]

Just wanted to get your thoughts about my mother's current situation. As some of you may recall, this spring she had a heart attack and diagnosed with A-fib and A-flutter. She also has COPD. She gets out of breath very easily and uses inhalers. After this last heart attack/arrythmia episode she was placed on norvasc, plavix and a 325 mg. aspirin. She was told by the cardiologist to discontinue the inhalers because they're hard on her heart. She uses albuterol; I'm not sure what else. However, she can't do without the inhalers. She called the doctor's office and told the cardio's nurse; she expected to hear back from him but hasn't. She needs to be more proactive, but I can only do so much....I try to prod gently.

So what I am thinking is she needs to see a pulmonolgist(?) in addition to her cardiologist. It seems they need to come up with a plan of treatment to address her breathing difficulty in a way that's complimentary to her cardiac needs. Make sense?

Wise

 

[maka]

Wise

I?m sorry to hear about your mother. Who prescribed her the inhalers in the first place? It seems to me that?s the one that should be questioned as to why they are needed and what else can be done to give her relief. I agree with you that there should be a coordinated plan among doctors and there is nothing wrong by you taking a proactive role in the welfare of your mother. Hope everything works out well

 

[geebee]

Wise,
Your plan makes perfect sense. There is nothing worse than not being able to breathe and many inhalers affect heartrate. It's a tight line to travel. Definite coordination of doctors needed.
I will pray that your mom gets the care she needs.

 

[Wise]

...many inhalers affect heartrate.

This is good to know. I didn't know why the inhalers were a problem. I'm going to pass this on to her. Thanks!

 

[Ross]

Albuterol increases heart rate and makes the heart work harder. There are other medications that can be given that do not. See a Pulmonologist for the specifics or even ask a respiratory therapist.

 

[Praline]

Wise,

Wise,

I am also asthmatic and I use an inhaler called flovent morning and night. It does not seem to affect my heart rate and takes care of the breathing. I also have albuteral in case I had a really bad asthma but I have not had to use it for over a year. The albuteral really speeds up my heart rate and makes my hands shake.
When I had my OHS I got breathing treatments all the time I was in ICU which was about a week and had no reaction to them. As soon as I got on the floor, the first treatment they gave me made my heart race and I got really shaky. They swore it was the same thing I got in ICU. But it couldn't have been....So I said, " You say my lungs are very clear..then no more breathing treatments." My surgeon agreed.

 

[Mary]

Hey Wise,
She definitely needs to see a pulmonologist.
I would question whether the albuterol is a culprit in a-fib; it increases the heartrate but doesn't necessarily mean it makes it work harder. The wheezing and shortness of breath she's experiencing is apt to be harder on the heart than the albuterol. Some people do have a sensitivity to it, but many patients with afib use it successfully.
The flovent that Praline uses is a steroid based inhaler, so that's a different scenario.
If your mom suffers from COPD, she should see a pulmonologist to sort all this out.

 

[Nancy]

She needs the care of a pulmonologist. Joe has lung problems also, and afib/flutter. He cannot use albuterol for the same reasons that your mom's card. wants her to stop. I take albuterol for asthma along with other meds. and can attest to the fact that it can cause your heart to race. But it isn't bad in my case and my heart always returns to normal. In your mom's case it just might be the culprit especially if she is using it a lot.

Joe is under the care of pulm. and card. He is going through some testing to define the nature of his breathing problems. They are severe. There are many problems that can cause breathlessness and it has to be definitively diagnosed, and a safe plan developed for your mom. She may even need oxygen.

 

[Mary]

Wise,
You say she suffers from COPD. Who diagnosed it?

 

[Wise]

I would question whether the albuterol is a culprit in a-fib

Actually her a-fib/a-flutter hasn't been attributed to the use of albuterol. My mother says that she was having "a racing heart beat" before she ever used albuterol (she didn't have it checked out back then, 3 years ago or so )

She had recurring bouts of bronchitis for a number of years. 1 1/2 years ago she got ill while in Indiana for a funeral. She went to the emergency room while there in Knox, Indiana; they told her she had bronchitis and emphysema. After she returned home she was so ill she went to the hospital here; the doctor on call admitted her; he diagnosed her with COPD.

 

[Wise]

She may even need oxygen.

She does use oxygen at home. I forget some of the details along the way.

 

[Wise]

Everyone's comments and advice have been very helpful. I appreciate it very much. I will share them with Mom and encourage to go ahead and schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Wise

I, too, suffer with asthma.....thankfully it has been under control for a long time, but when it goes crazy, it is very quick.

ABSOLUTELY GET HER TO A PULMONARY GUY!!! Personally, I don't feel the albuterol is the culprit, and the bottom line is when you can't breathe, you NEED the quick acting inhalers.....if they don't do the trick it's prednisone and if that doesn't do it, it's the er.

They'll probably do a pulmonary function test among others....the key is to get her to a good pulmonary guy.

Evelyn