R
Raverlaw
8/4/04 was my first post-AVR stress echo. I did the treadmill for 14 minutes, ending up at 18% grade going 5 mph, and the doc terminated the test when he saw I wasn't going to be the one to give up first! 
After watching the monitor for a while, and looking over to see if I was still doing ok, he asked "have you been running?" When I said yes, he said "It shows."
Here's some excerpts from the report:
Resting vitals: P: 64 BP: 100/74
Exercise vitals: P: 170 BP: 120/70
Rest EKG: NSR is noted along with RBBB pattern
Exercise EKG: Sinus Tachycardia is noted without ectopy
Rest Echocardiogram: normal; Left Venticular Ejection Fraction is 55%
Aortic valve prosthesis is noted with mean gradient of 21mmHg; no Aortic Regurgitation noted; trace Tricuspid Regurgitation and mild Mitral Regurgitation is noted
Exercise Echocardiogram: normal; increase in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction to 75% was noted
Conclusion: 1. Stable CAd 2. Stable Valvular Heart Disease
Pre-op, I had a mean gradient of over 100 mmHg, so this is quite an improvement. Artificial valves, of course, aren't as efficient as natural ones, so that's about as low as my gradient is likely to ever be. The trace regurgitation on the Tricuspid and Mitral valves doesn't worry me, and is likely to be left over from the stress my old valve put on the heart. I'm hoping that my fitness and diet program will help resolve those by the time of the next echo. The RBBB, according to the cardio, isn't unusual and can be caused by the surgery, since the AV is very near the electrical center of the heart. Surgery in the area can sometimes mess up the electrical rythyms. He said a pacemaker isn't indicated at this time.
He discussed putting me back on Toprol XL to ward off any excess pressure on my aortic root, but we discussed the fact that it caused lightheadedness when I took it before and he decided not to prescribe it again.
By the way, my aortic root measured at 4.2 cm during the pre-op angiogram and the echo tech measured it at 3.1 cm yesterday .
I've come to the realization, of course, that although I was "fixed," the fact remains that I have, and always will have, heart disease from a doctor's point of view. All the more reason to eat carefully and keep fit! Life is good, and I don't mind taking better care of myself.
Gemma mentioned in another post that Jim had become somewhat evangelical about food choices and exercise. Well, I guess I have, too. Fortunately for me, Sandy agrees with me and we've got the whole family on the program!
After watching the monitor for a while, and looking over to see if I was still doing ok, he asked "have you been running?" When I said yes, he said "It shows."
Here's some excerpts from the report:
Resting vitals: P: 64 BP: 100/74
Exercise vitals: P: 170 BP: 120/70
Rest EKG: NSR is noted along with RBBB pattern
Exercise EKG: Sinus Tachycardia is noted without ectopy
Rest Echocardiogram: normal; Left Venticular Ejection Fraction is 55%
Aortic valve prosthesis is noted with mean gradient of 21mmHg; no Aortic Regurgitation noted; trace Tricuspid Regurgitation and mild Mitral Regurgitation is noted
Exercise Echocardiogram: normal; increase in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction to 75% was noted
Conclusion: 1. Stable CAd 2. Stable Valvular Heart Disease
Pre-op, I had a mean gradient of over 100 mmHg, so this is quite an improvement. Artificial valves, of course, aren't as efficient as natural ones, so that's about as low as my gradient is likely to ever be. The trace regurgitation on the Tricuspid and Mitral valves doesn't worry me, and is likely to be left over from the stress my old valve put on the heart. I'm hoping that my fitness and diet program will help resolve those by the time of the next echo. The RBBB, according to the cardio, isn't unusual and can be caused by the surgery, since the AV is very near the electrical center of the heart. Surgery in the area can sometimes mess up the electrical rythyms. He said a pacemaker isn't indicated at this time.
He discussed putting me back on Toprol XL to ward off any excess pressure on my aortic root, but we discussed the fact that it caused lightheadedness when I took it before and he decided not to prescribe it again.
By the way, my aortic root measured at 4.2 cm during the pre-op angiogram and the echo tech measured it at 3.1 cm yesterday
.I've come to the realization, of course, that although I was "fixed," the fact remains that I have, and always will have, heart disease from a doctor's point of view. All the more reason to eat carefully and keep fit! Life is good, and I don't mind taking better care of myself.
Gemma mentioned in another post that Jim had become somewhat evangelical about food choices and exercise. Well, I guess I have, too. Fortunately for me, Sandy agrees with me and we've got the whole family on the program!
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