Blacking out after bypass surgery??? - Heart Disorders Message Board

Irishgram · 07-14-2008, 11:08 AM

My 51 Yr. old son had triple by pass with a valve replacement 3 weeks ago...Really did well and came home in 6 days...3 days later he was back in the hospital with a heart rate of 180...That was corrected and he was sent home. The very next day, he coughed (a real deep cough) and blacked out and back to the hospital by ambulance...This has happened 4-5 times, each time he comes right out of it and feels great...None of the doctors have been able to tell him why this is happening....He does his breathing treatments and he still does have water weight but that is coming off...Was wondering if anyone had ever experienced this....His wife is afraid to leave him alone.....

aether4 · 07-14-2008, 03:10 PM

The technical term for "blacking out" is syncope - looking this word up will get you a lot further.

Since it's happened after a cough it would seem to suggest reflex mediated type syncope, but with the recent surgery it could be more leaning towards cardiac syncope.

I have the more common neurocardiogenetic syncope - in otherwords mixed up signals can make me faint or just send my heart rate really high and blood pressure lower. In my case, it's far from deadly as my heart is perfectly healthy, but with someone who's had surgery - please make sure they keep pressing to find the answer. If the doctors are clueless, go to another hospital - maybe a teaching one.

An electrophysiologist along with a cardiologist may be able to figure out what is going on here.

Also, when he faints make sure he is layed down flat. Leaving him sitting can be dangerous.

sam78 · 07-14-2008, 07:23 PM

Irish, he probably is having an arrhythmia, ask the doctor for a holter monitor so you can record when it happens. Often times it corrects itself right away but it can dangerous if it is not being corrected. A simple holter monitor can look for an irregular heart rhythm when these spells happen. Also is he having his blood pressure checked regularly???

Irishgram · 07-15-2008, 09:27 AM

Thanks for the very interesting replys....He is still being checked by the visiting nurse and his blood pressure is quite good...He thought it was too low, 110/70, but they said, they like to keep it low so the heart doesn't have to work as hard....For the last couple of days, he has been hooked up to a monitor connected to the doctor's office, but he hasn't had any problems, thank goodness....But you know how it is and it always happened to me, as long as I was on the monitor, I was fine! Hopefully this is really nothing and all will be fine...Just adds a few more grey hair to this mother....Thanks again.....