Friday, November 8, 2019
Nuclear Stress Test
No, not a North Korea problem. The symptoms that I have been having of shortness of breath when under cardiovascular stress (like climbing my absurd driveway) caused the cardiologist to schedule the ominously named "nuclear stress test." (The symptoms are much like the period before the horrendous aortic valve replacement surgery.) Fasting, then a 4 hour test where they inject radioisotopes, look at blood flow, then inject a dilating medicine and check the blood flow again. The good news is that if the aortic valve is failing, they no longer cut you open. They do a transarterial valve replacement. They run a cathether to the valve and put another valve on top of the old one. Not without risk, but no worse than cutting a hole in your chest, and far less painful.
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Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteI have had an abnormal EKG for at least my entire adult life; it indicates I have ischemia. However, when I do a stress test, none is found.
Latest one was in early October, came out "normal." I get winded, but apparently just need more exercise.
I hope for equally benign results for you.
You have my best wishes & prayers for happy results!
ReplyDeleteDepends on the person. My Dad just had a valve replacement and they chose to cut him open. Apparently the recovery is faster and better with open heart surgery than with the catheterization procedure.
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