I was just diagnosed with Hypertensive Heart Disease. Does anyone else have this?
I went ER in December for chest pain. They did EKG and Chest Xray and those were normal so they sent me home with a prescription for Vicodin and told me to follwo up with my family doc because they thought it could be either gallbladder or costochondritis.
Followed up with my family doc who just diagnosed it as costochondritis because that is what the ER said. Prescribed anti inflammator meds, one after another that didn't work, so she sent me for gallbladder ultrasound which came back normal. She referred me to a cardiolgist. Did another chest xray, EKG, 24 hour halter monitor, and then a treadmill stress test. The treadmill test I could only do for a minute and then got chest pain and they stopped the test. When I went in for results, the doc had been at the hosptial for an emergency, so i had to wait over an hour. he came back and the nurse told me the doc had to review the results real quick before seeing me..so 15 minutes later he came in and told me the tests were normal and to go back to the family doc.
Well, how could the stress test be normal if I had chest pain within a minute?
So I went to another cariologist who re-did all the above tests, except instead of the treadmill stress test, I did the chemical stress test and that is how I was diagnosed with hypertensive heart disease..... and then he ordered me to have a CT of my chest and i am waiting for results...
I'm confused why haven't I been started on any medicine for the hypertensive heart disease?
I still have chest pains, I am so extremely exhausted, and it's completely interfering with my life. I am having a hard time working. I am oversleeping and going in late a lot and having to leave early feeling ill, and trying hard not to call in sick,but I had to call in yesterday. I am worn out physically and emotionally from all of this..
I just wondered if anyone else has this, what symptoms you have, how you were diagnosed, and what kind of medicine helps and can you continue a normal life?
Heart disease is a large umbrella term that includes ischemic disease from blockages, valvular disease, remodelling (reshapoing) of the ventricles, etc. If these are deemed to be casued by high blood pressure, then the term HYPERTENSIVE heart disease is used.
Of course, the sine qua non of HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE is HYPERTENSION. Did they establish that in December either at the E/R or at your primary care doctor?
Stopping the stress test after 1 minute because of pain is most certainly NOT NORMAL and that very "busy" doctor should relax, perhaps even retire...his rushing around isn't helping his patients. He misdiagnosed the situation.
If ANYONE diagnosed hypertensive heart disease and DIDN'T prescrtibe an antihypertensive over the last 4 months, then you are being mishandled.
How high IS your blood pressure and are you taking anything for it?
Next visit to the cardiologist when he reviews your CAT scans ask him particulars and don't leave til you get straight answers:
1. Did my Stress Test show ischemic blockages...Where?
2. Is my left venticle enlarged?
3. Are any valves damaged?
4. Is there any evidence of cardimyopathy or heart failure?
5. Is my blood pressure very high and what should I do about it?
I got a "catch-all" diagnosis similar to yours 7 years ago. Pain on stress test (but completed) and my blood pressure went high. Conclusion (by a moron calling himself a cardiologist) was HEALTHY HEART with pain caused by hypertension.
I KNEW this diagnosis was nonsense so I went to see a GOOD cardiologist 5 years later...100% blockage of the Right Coronary Artery.
