Chest pain and shortness of breath after left ventricular failure at age 86, improved with medication

(Disclaimer: This article is for scientific use only. To protect patient privacy, relevant information in the following content has been processed.) Abstract: An 86-year-old female patient presented to our hospital nearly 2 days ago with chest pain and wheezing with generalized sweating in a sedentary position, and her symptoms persisted without relief. After examination, the diagnosis of left ventricular failure was clarified, and the patient’s symptoms were relieved and her condition was stabilized after 2 weeks of drug treatment with deacetyl trichothecene injection, furosemide injection and nitroglycerin injection. [Basic information] Female, 86 years old [Disease type] Left ventricular failure [Hospital] The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University [Time of consultation] April 2022 [Treatment plan] Intravenous injection (morphine hydrochloride injection, deacetyltrichoside injection, furosemide injection, nitroglycerin injection) + oral medication (digoxin tablets, furosemide tablets) [Treatment period] Inpatient treatment for 2 weeks, 1 month later The patient complained of chest pain 2 days ago (due to the patient’s age, the specific narrative was unclear, and the family was not clear about its onset), and complained that it could be relieved after resting. 2 hours ago, when the patient was preparing to rest, he developed wheezing with general sweating, sitting in a telescopic position, and the symptoms continued to be unrelieved, without nausea or vomiting, without impaired consciousness. After coming to our hospital, an emergency electrocardiogram showed sinus tachycardia, abnormal Q wave (III), complete right bundle branch block, and three myocardial tests showed troponin 0.207 ng/ml, CK-MB 4.7 ng/ml, Myo 126.7 ng/ml, and B-type natriuretic peptide precursors >35000.0 pg/l. The patient was initially diagnosed with left ventricular failure and admitted to the hospital for treatment. Since the onset, the patient had a wheezing appearance, was in a sedentary position, did not eat or drink, and had not relieved his bowel movements. II. Treatment history After admission, the patient was kept in a semi-sitting position with both legs down to reduce the amount of returning blood, and was given oxygen and cardiac monitoring. Considering the patient’s age and difficulty in tolerating surgical trauma, a conservative treatment plan was determined after communication with the patient’s family. The patient was agitated due to chest pain and wheezing, and was given an intravenous morphine hydrochloride injection, which could improve ventilation while maintaining sedation. The cardiotonic drug desacetyl trichothecene injection was used, and close attention was paid to any abnormalities in heart rate and urine output. Use the diuretic furosemide injection to reduce blood volume and relieve symptoms of pulmonary circulation stasis. Use the vasodilator nitroglycerin injection to dilate the peripheral blood vessels, reduce the anterior and posterior cardiac load and improve cardiac function. III. Treatment effect The patient’s chest pain and wheezing symptoms worsened before treatment. After 2 weeks of treatment with cardiotonic, diuretic and vasodilator drugs, physical examination: stable breathing and normal heart rate. The patient complained that the chest pain and shortness of breath disappeared, and myocardial triple tests showed that troponin 0.03ng/ml, CK-MB 4.7ng/ml, Myo 56.7ng/ml, and B-type natriuretic peptide precursor 89.7pg/l, all within the normal range. Continue to take digoxin tablets and furosemide tablets out of hospital, and seek medical advice if there is any discomfort. IV. Precautions The patient’s symptoms were relieved and her condition was stable after drug treatment. Considering that there is still a risk of exacerbation of the disease, the patient is advised to take the medication on time and according to the dosage after discharge from the hospital, and to review her condition once every six months after her condition is stabilized. As the patient is older, self-monitoring is difficult. Family members should strengthen the observation of changes in the patient’s condition, such as blood pressure and heart rate, and come to the hospital in case of uncomfortable symptoms. The patient’s diet should be light and easy to digest, with few meals and limited salt intake and water intake. It is recommended to wear a mask when going to crowded places to avoid catching a cold, which may lead to deterioration of the disease. In addition, pay attention to more rest, avoid staying up late and overworking. V. Personal insight The patient in this case has chest pain and wheezing as the main symptoms, which are the typical manifestations of left ventricular failure. In addition to these symptoms, left ventricular failure may also include coughing, coughing up sputum or coughing up pink foamy sputum, weakness, oliguria, shortness of breath after activity, etc. In severe cases, dyspnea and cardiogenic asthma may occur. In daily life, if any of these manifestations occur, you should seek medical attention to determine if left ventricular failure is present. The elderly may not be sensitive to changes in themselves, so family members should focus on observing any of the above manifestations in their daily care, and seek medical attention in a timely manner once discomfort occurs to inhibit the development of the disease.