heart valve surgery Archives - Page 3 of 3

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Did you know a painkiller, one that’s probably in your medicine cabinet right now, can increase your risk of heart disease? Scary thought, right? Well, over-the-counter NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have been proven to increase the risk of heart disease through heart attacks and strokes. Studies have shown a 20 to 50 percent increase in risk of heart attack when using NSAIDs compared to when not using them.

It’s best to take these types of medications in small doses and for a short time so they will not have serious effects on your heart. Don’t become a regular user.

Common NSAIDs you can find in your home include ibuprofen and naproxen, the most common being Advil, Motrin and Aleve. Aspirin is a type of NSAID but not does not increase your chances of having a heart attack or stroke. All these over-the-counter NSAIDs are used to treat pain and inflammation in the body.

If you currently suffer from any heart condition, you should take NSAIDs with caution, and definitely talk to your doctor about taking them. For people with heart conditions, NSAIDs can potentially make your conditions worse. You don’t have to stop taking NSAIDs, especially if you’re in a lot of pain, but be mindful of how, when, and why you’re taking them.

Even if you currently don’t have a heart condition, be cautious when taking NSAIDS. If you truly need to take one for pain relief, aim to take the smallest dosage, and not for an extended period.

Studies haven’t proven that NSAIDs cause heart attacks, but some research shows that NSAIDs can increase blood pressure or raise the risk of a blood clot, which can lead to a heart attack.

Even though these NSAIDs are over-the-counter medications, you should be careful with them in the same way you would be with a prescription-level painkiller. Medication is medication, and too much of any kind can do you harm.

If you have heart disease and need surgery on your valves, Dr. Peter Mikhail performs mitral valve surgery and aortic valve surgery in and around Tampa, Clearwater, and New Port Richey, Florida. To book a consult, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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Chest Pain. Shortness of breath. Dizziness. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, call your doctor immediately. There could be a chance that you have heart disease. At an appointment with your doctor, he or she will listen to your heart with a stethoscope and make the decision of whether you should be tested for heart disease. Stress tests are one way for doctors to determine if you have heart disease. If you are unable to walk on a treadmill or are on certain medications, the doctor will have you take a nuclear stress test instead of an exercise stress list.

A nuclear stress test will measure blood flow to your heart while at rest, and while your heart works hard from medication administered to you. From this test, a doctor will see images that will determine if you have low blood flow or any damage to the heart muscle itself.

Since you are unable to exercise, a radioactive dye will be administered into your bloodstream. This will speed up your heart rate to mimic exercise. Doctors will also suggest a nuclear stress test if you have coronary artery disease, or if an exercise stress test didn’t explain any of your negative symptoms.

During this test, a camera will see rays emitted from the dye in your body, which will create clear pictures of the heart and its tissue. The doctor will look at images while your heart is at rest, during and after exercise (elevated heart rate from dye). The test could take up to five hours as the blood needs to make its way through your body.

For a nuclear stress test, a patient cannot eat or drink or smoke for two hours prior. A doctor will determine on a case by case basis if you can or cannot take certain medications and consume caffeine before the test. Patients are asked to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. After the test is done, the dye will leave your body through your urine or stool.

The results will determine the doctor’s next course of action. If the results show you have heart valve disease, there is a chance you will have to undergo heart valve surgery. If you’re looking for a cardiac surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail performs heart valve surgery, specializing in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. To learn more, click the heart valve surgery page. Click here to book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail or call 727-312-4844.

Heart valve problems don’t just develop and occur from poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Many times, patients who suffer from heart disease were born with heart valve deformities. For some, these deformities end up causing problems or raise concern later in life. For this article, we wanted to discuss the topic of bicuspid aortic valve disease, which is one type of heart disease.

When a person has bicuspid aortic valve disease, their valve has two flaps (leaflets) instead of three. Because of this missing flap, the valve does not function properly; however, it can function properly for many years in a person’s life. Even with this missing flap, a person may experience no symptoms for his or her entire life. How can a person be missing a flap? Much research has suggested this missing valve flap is due to a connective tissue disorder, which can also cause circulatory system problems. It is believed the two flaps develop in the womb and the defect usually is there from birth.

Even if a person is born with this defect, he or she often does not know about it until his or her adult years. As the valve gets older, symptoms occur; however, a murmur is usually present during childhood. It is a common disease that runs in families. As a person ages, the valve and leaflets begin to thicken and restrict blood flow. In older age, a person may experience chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and fainting.

A doctor can determine if a person has bicuspid aortic valve disease by listening to the heart, by performing an echocardiogram, or by ordering CT scans or MRI of the heart. If a person is diagnosed, it is important to stay under the watch of a heart valve specialist. If this disease goes unwatched or untreated, a person can develop aortic aneurysms or heart failure.

About 30 percent of people with bicuspid aortic valve disease will develop complications. About 80 percent of people with this type of heart disease need surgery. Aortic valve surgery is performed on patients to repair or replace the diseased valve with a mechanical or biological valve.

If you’ve been diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve disease and are looking for a heart valve surgeon, Dr. Peter Mikhail performs mini-AVR on patients. He works in Tampa, Clearwaters, and the New Port Richey areas of Florida. Mini-AVR is a minimally-invasive procedure. To learn more about mini-AVR, click here. To book an appointment with Dr. Mikhail, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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Heart valve surgery is a major life event. If you are planning on this surgery, you are most likely well-versed in the ins and outs of what you’ll be experiencing during pre-operation and post-operation. After the surgery, your focus will be on healing and getting your life back to normal. Whether you were an active person or not before the heart valve surgery, exercise will be crucial to your healing process. Exercise is just one great way to help prevent your heart from having a major issue again.

Exercise is recommended and encouraged after heart valve surgery. Since you’ll be in recovery, there will be more precautions to keep in mind. Your body just went through the major trauma of surgery, so it’s important to ease into exercise to prevent injury or complications.

When you first get home from the hospital after surgery, it is recommended that you slowly increase the amount of activity you do. In the first week, you want to do around 5 minutes of exercise several times throughout the day. As each week passes, you’ll increase the activity time. This type of activity could be just a slow walk around the neighborhood.

As you heal, you will be in contact with your cardiac surgeon; he or she will tell you when you’re cleared for certain types of exercises, including aerobic activities and weight training. If you were active pre-op, your doctor understands your urgency to get back to normal as soon as possible, and will work with you to make sure you are stable (no shortness of breath or heart rhythm issues) before approving you for physical activities.

Every patient is different. The doctor will ask you to take it easy with any exercise you start and will want you to monitor how you feel after each exercise and workout. Make sure to tell the doctor what types of exercise you plan to do. The clearance for weight training may be different from biking or walking, due to the exercise’s effects on the body. It makes no difference to the doctor what type of exercise you choose, as long as you do it safely.

If you’re looking for a cardiac surgeon to perform your mitral valve surgery or mini-AVR, Dr. Peter Mikhail specializes in these surgeries; he is based in New Port Richey, Florida. To learn more, click the Mitral Valve Surgery page or the MINI-AVR page. To book an appointment, click here or call 727-312-4844.

Although minimally invasive, mitral valve surgery or mini-AVR are major procedures that are taxing on the body. With any type of surgery, the recovery period is important. After valve surgery, a patient will spend several days in the hospital while the doctor and nurses monitor recovery and pain. After 4 to 6 weeks post-op, your doctor will schedule a follow up appointment to check in on your recovery. For this post, we want to share some thoughts and tips about recovery from heart valve surgery. Recovery is different for each patient, but there are many things to follow and take note of that will help you recover faster and better.

Listen to your doctor, and follow the recovery instructions given to you at the hospital.
- Questions to ask your doctor about your recovery
  - Am I able to lift things on my own? How heavy?
  - When can I drive a car?
  - When can I go back to work?
  - Should I be exercising? What can I do or not do?
  - What medications will I be taking or should stop taking?
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help or accept someone’s offer to help you. Whether it’s making food or running an errand, a family member or friend can help you do daily tasks while you get as much rest as you can.
- Eat a healthy diet full of variety. Fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish and whole grains are recommended. Your doctor will recommend the best diet plan for you to follow.
- Take note: there are some things you may not be able to do easily right after heart valve surgery, including: tying your shoes, climbing stairs, cooking, raising your arms above your head, sitting up on your own, or cleaning.
- You may hear your new heart valve as it opens and closes.

If you have been diagnosed with mitral valve disease or aortic valve disease, meet with Dr. Peter Mikhail to discuss your surgical options. Dr. Mikhail is a cardiac surgeon in New Port Richey, Florida, specializing in mitral valve surgery and mini-AVR. To book a consult and for more information, click here or call 727-312-4844.

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