Treating Congestive Heart Failure

[Mike45]

My mother in law is a gem.

My mother in law is 69 and has what I belive to be congestive heart failure. She is treated by the doctors at the military hospital in Ubon Ratchathani as an out patient fully paid by the government.

I guess I don't understand what she needs for treatment. She is on some kind of blood pressure and heart medicine and diuretics

The poor woman complains about being tired all the time. She has swelling in her feet and ankles. On her last visit the Dr told her she had fluid in her lungs and has put her on more or stronger diuretics to clear up the fluid.

What would make her feel better and hopefully live longer? How would she be treated in the west?

Sorry if I don't seem to know to many particulars. It's practically impossible to get anyone to read bottles for us and we are not resident in Thailand right now.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

[moe666]

Lots of vit. c and coq10 is a substance made in the liver that is the energy for the heart muscle. But a lot of the heart medications interfer with its production. worth a try.

[Lefty]

I am a male71 years old and have had congestive heart failure for last 6 years and have been treated by cartiologists at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok and my cartiologists in Houston. I have been on the following medications for a number of years and feel fine. Generic names,all available in Thailand at very reasonable prices---

1.Fursosemide 40MG --water pill

2.Perindolpril 4MG --heart/blood pressure

3.Carvedilol 25MG--heart/blood pressure.

Seeing a cartilogists at a leading private hospital in Korat cost less than baht 1,000,I see him every 3 months.

Good luck with your MIL.

Lefty

[meatboy]

hi lefty do you mean cardiologist,i think its about time i had a check up,who was it you saw and at which hospice[in korat] cheers

[Sheryl]

How she would be treated in the west = diuretics, heart medications and (if hypertensive) blood pressure medications with frequent follow up with the doctor and (here is likely a problem) restricted sodium intake.

In other words what you describe is perfectly standard care. Chances are she is ingesting a lot of sodium as most Thais do and this is hard to alter.

Thai doctors know well how to manage this, it is a common condition, but they do not usually do a very good job of patient education/explanation which in turn can contribute to poor compliance. It is essential that she take her medications as prescribed, keep all scheduled appointments and come back ahead of time if worse. In particular, worsening swelling and shortness of breath would be bad signs.

this is a chronic condition and ups and downs are usual.

Beyond this, the only other things that might help would be aimed at the underlying cause if a treatable one can be identified, for example if she needs a heart valve replacement.

[Lefty]

Meatboy,

I use Bangkok Hospital in Korat,cartiologist was a lady but don't have her name handy.Just walk in you can usually can see doctor quickly.

Lefty

[Mike45]

Sheryl

Her doctor is a cardiologist. He has told her to reduce salt and fluid intake.

I do not think that testing,if any, has identified a root cause.

From what I have read she needs to be careful of maintaining her potassium levels. Would eating some banana everyday accomplish that?

[Sheryl]

It will help, yes. Oranges are also good.

But regardless she will need to get her potassium level (and other parameters) checked frequently.

You might have her ask her doctor specifically if she has any of the following problems:

(1) damaged heart valve ("lin hua jai in Thai -- ลิ้น หัวใจ)

(2) coronary artery disease ("rok sen leut hua jai") โรค เส้นโลหิตหัวใจ )

(3) atrial fibrillation (sorry, this one I can't translate)

While Thai public hospitals (and especially military hospitals) are quite capable of treating both CHF and perfroming valve replacements, there may be an age cut-off for the latter. And I am not sure if they do stent placement for CAD or not (stent devices are costly). So it would be good to determine what her underlying cardiac problem is, assuming you have the means and willingness to pay privately for surgery if indicated and assuming she is a good candidate.