Left Ventricular Hypertrophy, anyone? - Heart Disorders Message Board

spirlhelix · 09-29-2003, 12:21 PM

Hi!

I'm going for an echocardiogram on Oct. 2 to check for LVH--left ventricular hypertrophy. The echocardiogram does not sound too bad. But I do have kidney disease and uncontrolled high blood pressure. I don't know much about LVH, but the little I know does not sound good. Anyone have this, or care to comment?

NMc · 09-30-2003, 11:51 AM

Hi spiralhelix:
I've also been diagnosed with LVH (and atrial enlargement) via echo and I've been told it's of no major concern. The meds used to control blood pressure are also supposed to regress LVH thickness (especially ACE inhibitors). Your kidney problems may add something new to the equation, but controlling the blood pressure should prevent progression of LVH.

spirlhelix · 09-30-2003, 12:53 PM

Thanks!

Yeah. I guess a couple of things about my case (if I can call it that, it's really just me!) concern me. I guess I could say I have uncontroll-able, not just uncontrolled high blood pressure, at least so far.

It's probably got to do with the kidney thing, but by the time they get the meds to a level where they take effect, I'm unable to tolerate the side effects. I don't just mean they make me tired. They make me want to kill myself, and I will be making plans within hours of taking the fat-soluble beta blockers. That's not normally me, by the way. Diuretics have made me lose my hearing, so I had to stop working in the job I did for over twenty years. Calcium channel blockers (apart from causing GERD and Vitamin B12 deficiency from constant use of Prilosec) made my gums swell till I could not eat or sleep, and I lost a tooth to that treatment strategy.

I'm hoping for miracles from Diovan, but with my usual blood pressure now standing at 200/150, I think we'll all be surprised if I manage to hit target.

The other little worry I have is that I run a constant fever (idiopathic, at least so far) and fevers can cause heart disease to worsen rapidly.

And the lovely statistics you find when you look up "hypertensive heart disease"--which the doctor says I have--and "renal disease"; 98% of the sites are tables of mortality. Great.

Still trying to keep my chin up.

Thanks for answering my message

Pam

NMc · 09-30-2003, 01:37 PM

Hi again Pam:
Is your hypertension a result of kidney problems, or did your hypertension cause your kidney problems? If the former, what recommendations does your doctor have for treating your chronic kidney failure? Seems that would be the first line of treatment.
I'm also on Diovan (360 mg) and it has really helped with the blood pressure (and no side effects!). How long have you been taking Diovan and at what dosage? How long ago did you stop taking calcium channel blockers?

spirlhelix · 09-30-2003, 03:42 PM

Hi, NMc

I don't know which came first, really. I had a little blood and protien in the urine about ten years ago, about the time I first started showing high blood pressure. Not too many clues about causation there. I've been nephrotic in the past, when I was recovering from a major infection, but in a couple of years, my numbers improved.

At the moment, my neprhologist says my high blood pressure is not caused by glomerulonephritis (my kidney condition). And it hasn't begun to make my kidneys too much worse, yet, either--cause my numbers are still good. But with a blood pressure this high, that can't go on indefinitely. And that fever of unknown origin bothers the heck out of me.

Diovan is the treatment of choice for my kidney condition, thankfully! As well as the blood pressure, as well as LVH, apparently. Looking to Diovan for miracles, here. I was on Diovan before, along with three other BP meds, when I managed to get my "office" BP down to 150/90. My numbers were even better at home, but I've never been on Diovan alone before. I had been on it for about a year before I was dropped from Medicaid and stopped taking medications due to, ahem, how do you politely say, poverty.

I have been eight months without meds, including calcium channel blockers. Just did a 24-hour urine for adrenal tumors, pheo, and the like. . .turned that in today, and started back on the Diovan.

So, why do you ask? Are you thinking of discontinuing calcium channel blockers? Did you get GERD? Are you on Prevacid?