Do We Have Heart Disease?

[Johnny Stephens]

Interesting question

Interesting question

Good to see you again, Chris!

Kathy and I have kicked this one around occasionally since my surgery. I believe that some of us may have had underlying disease processes that have caused problems with our valves, and the valves have been repaired since. Others have had congenital conditions that required repair of the valves.

I've looked at it like this: I have a cardiologist at age 44, so I have something about my heart that now needs to be followed for life. I say have 'had heart problems.'

I view the term 'heart disease' to be a catchall, somewhat like "cancer" which is actually 200+ different diseases.

 

[mainframe]

Wow,

Interesting responses.

To comment on Roy's suggested definition of disease is that "An alteration in the state of the body or of some of its organs, interrupting or disturbing the performance of the vital functions, and causing or threatening pain and weakness". That sounds like a fine definition to me. But by that definition, (interrupting or disturbing ... and causing or threatening), many of us have had our valves replaced and no longer are suffering any adverse effects. Some, myself included, don't even take medications. That's whets caused me to wonder, "do I have heart disease".

I suppose it never is that simple. I think my cardiologist feels that most patients with bicuspid aortic valves indeed have a connective tissue disorder. So Rob probably hit the nail on the head, in that "connective tissue disorder, which goes hand and hand with heart disease" applies.

I ask this question, in part as I read the bottle of an ephedra containing supplement I used to take, without adverse effects, right up until a couple of months prior to my surgery. It warns against using if you have, among other things, "heart disease". I wondered as I read the bottle, does that apply to me? The only thing that has really changed since taking it prior to surgery without any adverse effects, is that I have a new valve, hopefully providing better blood flow than before. (No need for ephedra based lectures. Based on my experience, if found it not to be bothersome taken only in the recommended dosage and believe most problems, (which are minimal in numbers, considering the millions of dosages taken) have resulted from the "if 2 is good, 4 is better" mentality, besides, I've decided not to take it in any event. How's that for a run on sentence )

I guess I'll have to ask my cardio. Fortunately, I got life insurance a few months prior to surgery. Guess I better keep my payments on time.

 

[weekycat]

I've pondered that question myself

I've pondered that question myself

I had my mitral valve repaired, and my surgeon told me at my 1 month check, "That repair should last you a lifetime, get out of here, I never want to see you again!"

I went for a check-up with the cardiologist at 3 months, and was told, "see ya in a year". I'm no longer on Coumadin, (or ANY OTHER medication for that matter). I'm not sure if they'll continue to have me come in once a year after that or not.

I was sent home from the hospital with a book entitled: "Living Well With Heart Disease". I'm not sure why, none of it applies to me! Even though I'm overweight, I had perfectly clear arteries, and don't have a cholesterol problem. I did have pulmonary high blood pressure, but that was corrected with the valve surgery.

Also, the hospital kept sending me things and calling to see if I wanted to join this class for people with "heart disease", I told them I just had a valve repaired, not bypass surgery, and they said, "Ohhh, ok, we'll take you off of our list then".

I don't believe I have "heart disease" anymore!