J
JimChicago
I just got a blood test about 5 months since surgery - the LDH level was in the 500's whereas normal is 223 - is it customary to have an elevated LDH for a while after heart/bypass/valve surgery?
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hensylee
Well-known member
wouldn't think so, Jim. Others can also give you info. Are you on any statins?
LUVMyBirman
Well-known member
Hi Jim,
Are you taking a beta blocker? After starting it...my LDL/LDH? went way up. So did my scale
Any closer to making a decision about INR home units?
Are you taking a beta blocker? After starting it...my LDL/LDH? went way up. So did my scale
Any closer to making a decision about INR home units?
J
JimChicago
I'm still working on the home INR tester.
I am taking some Coreg which I believe is a beta blocker (as well as digoxin and enalapril).
I am taking some Coreg which I believe is a beta blocker (as well as digoxin and enalapril).
J
JimChicago
Thnaks for your posts - I think I may have found the answer on the internet:
From:
http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cach.../howto.htm+"ldh"+"blood+tests"&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
>>>>
LDH is the enzyme present in all the cells in the body. Anything which damages cells, including blood drawing itself, will raise amounts in the blood. If blood is not processed promptly and properly, high levels may occur. If all values except LDH are within expected ranges, it is probably a processing error and does not require further evaluation.
>>>>
The place that did the blood draw waits til the end of the day and then sends the tubes via airborne express who knows where - so the bloood being not processed promptly probably explains it - lab error.
From:
http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cach.../howto.htm+"ldh"+"blood+tests"&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
>>>>
LDH is the enzyme present in all the cells in the body. Anything which damages cells, including blood drawing itself, will raise amounts in the blood. If blood is not processed promptly and properly, high levels may occur. If all values except LDH are within expected ranges, it is probably a processing error and does not require further evaluation.
>>>>
The place that did the blood draw waits til the end of the day and then sends the tubes via airborne express who knows where - so the bloood being not processed promptly probably explains it - lab error.
Gail in Ca
Well-known member
Thanks Gina for that info,
My recent chol test gave me higher than normal LDL(157) but my HDL is very high as well. 84!
Now I will investigate the Cozaar and see if that could cause higher LDL. Have already been informed that pre menopause to menopause can add 30pts.
I had gained weight too, after my recovery but after cutting back on cookies and snacks and just eating half a sandwich for lunch, I lost that pesky 5 lbs.
Yeah,
Gail
My recent chol test gave me higher than normal LDL(157) but my HDL is very high as well. 84!
Now I will investigate the Cozaar and see if that could cause higher LDL. Have already been informed that pre menopause to menopause can add 30pts.
I had gained weight too, after my recovery but after cutting back on cookies and snacks and just eating half a sandwich for lunch, I lost that pesky 5 lbs.
Yeah,
Gail
R
rcatalano
Jim,
First let me say that I know absolutely nothing about LDH, though I can see it is not related to LDL.
Looking at your reference link, it mentions that 'Anything which damages cells, including blood drawing itself, will raise amounts in the blood'.
I wonder if its related to hemolysis. I've read where blood flow over mechanical valves can destroy red blood cells, causing .
hemolytic anemia. It mentions an indicator of hemolytic anemia is an elevated serum LDH, but I'd think you'd also have other indications mentioned in the link, like a low red blood cell count.
First let me say that I know absolutely nothing about LDH, though I can see it is not related to LDL.
Looking at your reference link, it mentions that 'Anything which damages cells, including blood drawing itself, will raise amounts in the blood'.
I wonder if its related to hemolysis. I've read where blood flow over mechanical valves can destroy red blood cells, causing .
hemolytic anemia. It mentions an indicator of hemolytic anemia is an elevated serum LDH, but I'd think you'd also have other indications mentioned in the link, like a low red blood cell count.
J
JimChicago
Thanks Rob -
You make a good point - they're a lot of articles on that issue on the internet - some of them:
From:
http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cach...++"mechanical+heart+valve"+ldh&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
>>>>
Conclusions: Microbubbles were detected in more patients than reported previously. They were found to be associated more with the bileaflet than the monoleaflet PHV. Sorin monoleaflet valves were associated with microbubbles significantly less often than the others. There was a strong correlation between serum LDH levels and microbubble counts, which suggests that hemolysis may be related to microbubble formation.
Introduction
There are bright, highly reflective, mobile echoes very similar to saline echo contrasts, called microbubbles, that come off the mechanical prosthetic heart valve (PHV) (Fig 1). Since the first report of microbubbles associated with mechanical PHVs 22 years ago,[1] there has been no consensus about the nature, clinical relevance, and mechanism of generation of microbubbles.
>>>>>
From:
http://www.mcritx.com/abstracts.htm
>>>>
Background: Mechanical valves are known to produce chronic, subclinical hemolysis in most patients. Generally, haptoglobin is reduced to below normal in most patients, while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is increased to as much as 200 % above the upper normal, sometimes resulting in anemia. The study was designed to investigate the clinical hemolysis of the On-X Prosthetic Heart Valve in a multicenter experience with a standard protocol and a single laboratory.
Methods: From September 1996 to August 1998, 248 patients received isolated valve replacement (159 isolated aortic (AVR) and 89 isolated mitral (MVR)) at 10 European centers. Blood samples were collected from these patients preoperatively and at 3-6 months and 1 year postoperatively. All samples were shipped overnight to a central laboratory for testing thus assuring poolability of the data.
>>>>
From:
http://www.library.uu.nl/digiarchief/dip/diss/1940271/c6.pdf
>>>>
All definitions of events were according to these guidelines with the
exception of hemolysis which was defined as any raise in LDH non attributable to other
causes. In addition to valve related events, all other events and reoperations were also
recorded.
>>>>>
From:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/echocardiography/message/1045?source=1
>>>>
The lab tests suggestive of hemolysis
include an elevated LDH (an LDH up to 400-500 may be normal), low
haptoglobin, increased reticulocyt count, and low hemoglobin/hematocrit.
>>>>
I guess there's not much that can be done about it if it is just a side effect of metal heart valves. Thanks for your info.
You make a good point - they're a lot of articles on that issue on the internet - some of them:
From:
http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cach...++"mechanical+heart+valve"+ldh&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
>>>>
Conclusions: Microbubbles were detected in more patients than reported previously. They were found to be associated more with the bileaflet than the monoleaflet PHV. Sorin monoleaflet valves were associated with microbubbles significantly less often than the others. There was a strong correlation between serum LDH levels and microbubble counts, which suggests that hemolysis may be related to microbubble formation.
Introduction
There are bright, highly reflective, mobile echoes very similar to saline echo contrasts, called microbubbles, that come off the mechanical prosthetic heart valve (PHV) (Fig 1). Since the first report of microbubbles associated with mechanical PHVs 22 years ago,[1] there has been no consensus about the nature, clinical relevance, and mechanism of generation of microbubbles.
>>>>>
From:
http://www.mcritx.com/abstracts.htm
>>>>
Background: Mechanical valves are known to produce chronic, subclinical hemolysis in most patients. Generally, haptoglobin is reduced to below normal in most patients, while lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is increased to as much as 200 % above the upper normal, sometimes resulting in anemia. The study was designed to investigate the clinical hemolysis of the On-X Prosthetic Heart Valve in a multicenter experience with a standard protocol and a single laboratory.
Methods: From September 1996 to August 1998, 248 patients received isolated valve replacement (159 isolated aortic (AVR) and 89 isolated mitral (MVR)) at 10 European centers. Blood samples were collected from these patients preoperatively and at 3-6 months and 1 year postoperatively. All samples were shipped overnight to a central laboratory for testing thus assuring poolability of the data.
>>>>
From:
http://www.library.uu.nl/digiarchief/dip/diss/1940271/c6.pdf
>>>>
All definitions of events were according to these guidelines with the
exception of hemolysis which was defined as any raise in LDH non attributable to other
causes. In addition to valve related events, all other events and reoperations were also
recorded.
>>>>>
From:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/echocardiography/message/1045?source=1
>>>>
The lab tests suggestive of hemolysis
include an elevated LDH (an LDH up to 400-500 may be normal), low
haptoglobin, increased reticulocyt count, and low hemoglobin/hematocrit.
>>>>
I guess there's not much that can be done about it if it is just a side effect of metal heart valves. Thanks for your info.
