My dad is 73 years old and had a stroke three years ago. He has diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure. They put a pacemaker in December 2008. Now he has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He was in the hospital a month and a half ago, and is back in again.
He was in a regular hospital for one week and now he is in a hospital for acute problems. The doctor said that he will stay there for three more weeks.
Do you think he will be recovering from congestive heart failurer? Or will he be sick like this from now on? Can you give us any advice on the care he'll need once he goes home?
Expert Answer by Dan Tobin, M.D.
Hi:
Recovering from congestive heart failure can go very well and many people get better. The details you can get from his doctor will be the most helpful. Write down three questions you want to ask his doctor and be clear about your concerns.
Ask him/her the exact questions you list above.
Once he comes home it will be important to see how well he can take care of himself. You can get his doctor to request certified homecare which can help send nurses to the house. You are doing a great job withthe questions above so keep going.
All the best,
Dan Tobin
Answer
I'm not a doc, first of all. But both of my parents, one living one not, had a variety of heart issues, including many your dad has. If I were a doc, first question back to you is, what do you mean by "recover", that is, what are your expectations. Virtually everything you list can be 'managed' with proper behavioral change and medication. My mother totally disregarded advice to take her meds, have regular checkups,stop smoking,avoid binge eating (and drinking) and manage her stress. Her cardiologist of 20+ years told her, in her last week on earth, that there were no longer surgical miracles he could perform. Straight shooter that he was, he basically said her behavior had caught up with her. She died four years ago of congestive heart failure and emphysema.
My father on the other hand, is the opposite. He's had 2 quad bypasses, 3 carotid surgeries, pacemaker, several strokes leading to vascular dementia, and now ALZ. On meds, and with regular care, he's holding his own nearing 87. Can he do what he did? of course not, but he's got the right attitude. Your dad can recover too - physically, psychologically and emotionally if he takes care of himself and lets others (docs and family) help. But you must also be ruthless in researching his conditions, his drugs and proposed therapies, and be prepared to take on the health care system if you feel something isn't right in his care, or his participation in and response to it.
good luck and hope you have many more years with your dad.
Will Dad be recovering from heart failure?


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