TP HCMA 43-year-old man with heart valve stenosis 7 years ago, could not afford surgery, but now developed heart failure, went to Thong Nhat Hospital for emergency because he was coughing up blood, had difficulty breathing, and could not lie down.
On April 14, BS.CK2 Nguyen Van Be Hai, Head of the Department of Cardiology, Thong Nhat Hospital, said that a patient living in Hoc Mon was admitted to the hospital with very severe heart failure, coughing up a lot of blood, and could not have surgery right away. Doctors prescribed medication to gradually stabilize the condition. When admitted to the hospital awaiting surgery, the patient had two episodes of severe hemoptysis and pulmonary hypertension.
According to Associate Professor, Dr. Do Kim Que, Deputy Director of the hospital, the patient’s heart valve was severely narrowed, blood could not pass through the valve, and stagnant in the lungs, leading to coughing up blood. In addition, the patient also has atrial fibrillation and blood clots in the heart chambers. If not removed, it can cause blood vessel blockage and a high risk of stroke.
“If you don’t operate early, the chance of treatment will no longer exist,” said Dr. Que. The surgical team replaced the mitral valve and removed blood clots in the heart chamber using a minimally invasive method. This technique has a short incision, helping patients lose less blood, less pain, and recover faster.
After surgery, the patient stopped coughing up blood, pulmonary artery pressure decreased, and heart failure improved clearly. The patient can walk normally and is discharged from the hospital to continue regular monitoring and control of heart failure.
“I can lie down and sleep, I have no difficulty breathing. When I went to the hospital, I could only sit and not lie down,” the patient said. Due to difficult circumstances, when mitral valve prolapse was discovered 7 years ago, the doctor advised surgery but he tried to endure. He often has difficulty breathing, faints in the afternoon, and sometimes coughs up blood. Recently, his condition got worse, he bought health insurance, saved money, and borrowed more money to go to the hospital.
According to Associate Professor Que, if this case is left a little later, it will cause heart failure, insomnia, and cannot be treated. During acute heart failure, coughing up blood, if not treated promptly, it is easy to die.
Associate Professor Que checks the patient’s surgical wound before leaving the hospital. Minimally invasive surgery helps short surgical incisions and quick patient recovery. Image: T.P
Heart failure is the final outcome of cardiovascular diseases. The disease has many causes, of which the rate of heart failure due to valvular and coronary artery disease is quite high, requiring surgery, while the rest are mostly treated medically. Heart failure accounts for about 50% of patients in the hospital’s Cardiovascular Department, with 20-30% requiring surgery. Previously, heart failure patients had little chance of being saved. Currently, treatment has made many advances with many drugs, cardiac support treatment devices, pacemaker or heart transplant, helping to improve quality of life and prolong life.
Doctor Be Hai recommends that everyone have regular health check-ups. When heart disease is detected, they should go to a specialized hospital to receive advice on treatment at the right time and with the right method. Early treatment helps improve recovery and avoids the risk of heart failure. Delayed treatment puts the patient at risk, makes recovery more difficult, and is more expensive.