Pre-surgery medication?

[jax3172]

I now have surgery scheduled for 8/10/05 with a cardiac cath on 8/9. Of course I will be asking the doctor but do you think medication will help until surgery? If so, what type? My BP is usually about 120 over 75. Ascending is currently at 5.2 cm. I offer the following quote (somewhat boilerplate) from the Bicuspid Foundation:

"Blood pressure medications are aimed at possibly preventing aortic dissection or rupture, slowing the progression of an aortic aneurysm, and reducing bicuspid aortic valve leakage. These medications generally reduce the pressure and stress on the aorta and any other potentially weak blood vessels, such as those in brain.

Medications from the following categories may be used:

?beta blockers
?ACE inhibitors
?ARBs
?calcium channel blockers
?alpha blockers
?diuretics

When the blood pressure is naturally low in the presence of bicuspid aortic valve leakage and an enlarged aorta, it usually indicates more fragile aortic tissue. However, these individuals may still use smaller doses of blood pressure medication."

I also wouldn't mind a few happy pills (like valium) until 8/10. Any opinions on that also?

Thankx all.

Jack

 

[Phyllis]

Jack,
I would run both questions by the surgeon's office, quoting the article you posted. Lots of people have taken tranquilizers prior to surgery. Dick was unusually calm about the whole thing and didn't need them- I could have used them!
Best Wishes,
Phyllis

 

[Cris N]

I also wouldn't mind a few happy pills (like valium) until 8/10. Any opinions on that also?

Thankx all.

Jack

My PCP put me on Altace (ace inhibitor) prior to my MVR surgery. I only had from a Friday to a Monday to have wait for my surgery (although I saw it coming for an additional 10 days. I was actually quite calm, believing that things had fallen into place so nicely for me that nothing would go wrong (new job, excellent health insurance...) However, after my surgery I had a major anxiety attack. I now have a prescription for Alprazolam (0.25 mg) (Xanax) and I only take 1/2 pill when I take it. It's an anti-anxiety drug with, I believe, fewer side effects that a tranq like Valium. Really takes the edge off! In any event, talk to your doc & express your concerns.

 

[savysmommy]

I was already on a calcium chanel blocker called Procardia.. I have always had low blood preasure. Like, 110 /60 even during my pregnancy. My cardiologist had me on that to help with the work load on the heart. Then, my sergon got me started on a few meds just before surgery. The first was for 5 days before surgery, dont remember what its called. It started with an A and I think it was for arythmias.. Then, three days before I started with something else that you put up your nose.. I guess it gets rid of strep and other bacterias.

Good Luck,
Shannon

 

[Marge]

It depends, obviously, on what conditions you have in addition to whatever's wrong with your valve.

My PCP already had me on cozaar, an ARB, for high blood pressure prior to my being diagnosed with a regurgitating mitral valve. I had been on lisinopril, an ACE blocker, for high BP but I developed a nasty bronchial cough which some people get from ACE blockers and the ARB was substituted. But your BP sounds normal, so I don't know why they'd prescribe you either of those.

Beta blockers: On my first meeting with my cardiologist, he put me on coreg (carvedilol), a beta blocker. I had a seriously dysfunctional left ventricle. Beta blockers are supposed to help you with that, also with regulating any heart arrhythmias.

Diuretics are for people who have fluid retention problems. I didn't have those so I wasn't prescribed any.

If you think that a tranquillizer type drug might help for the time leading up to your surgery, talk to your physician and if he prescribes it, go ahead and take it. This is an anxious time & you need all the help you can get.

For anxiety during the time prior to my surgery, I was prescribed oaxepam (also known as serax). It is a benzodiazepine. I took some the night prior to my cardiac catheritization (which was a couple of months prior to the actual surgery). I asked the invasive cardio who did my cath if it would be OK to do that & she said, Fine. I was a bundle of nerves before the cath, probably worse than before the surgery, so I took some the night before. Then they also gave me some of the same stuff during the prep for the cath! I was pretty mellow by the time I reached the cath lab. I continued taking the oaxepam during the lead up time to the surgery, mainly because I was having problems sleeping. It is said to be habit forming (like all benzodiapines) but I seem not to have suffered any ill effects.