My 80-year-old husband has had a pacemaker for 17 years and has been hospitalized three times for shortness of breath and fluid behind the lungs. He takes seven types of drugs. He has been on cardiac monitoring twice and the last time, six months ago, was very weak. He also had anemia and a leaky heart valve. He has recovered, but rests a lot. How can I tell if he needs to go to the emergency room again?
Anonymously
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
Obviously, your husband has a moderately functioning heart. The problem with heart failure is that the body retains moisture. As a result, fluid enters the lungs, resulting in less oxygen in the blood, and therefore also in the heart. The heart then starts to pump even worse and so you are in a vicious circle.
It is therefore important to prevent your husband from moisture holds; he does this by standing on the scales every day. If he gains more than two kilos in a few days, he retains fluids. That has to come out again and you do that with diuretics.
Other signs: shortness of breath, tickling cough, and feeling cold and clammy. In the latter case, urgency is required. So regularly on the scale.
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