Heart Disease and Treatment Underwent By A Friend

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, heart disease has been the number 1 health killer since 1970.

Heart diseases are diseases of the heart and blood vessel system within the heart. The three most common heart diseases are (a) coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease (CAD), (b) heart failure (occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood through the body as well as it should) and (c) arrhythmia (irregular heart beat).

The main causes of heart disease are blood clot or blockage in artery, cholesterol and triglyceride. Heart disease is linked to diabetes and high blood pressure.

CAD, the most common form of heart disease, affects the blood vessels of the heart. Medical professionals attribute its cause to atherosclerosis, i.e. the gradual build-up of plaques in blood vessels that feed our heart (our coronary arteries). CAD causes angina or chest pain due to poor blood circulation to the heart. This is because the coronary arteries cannot supply sufficient blood to meet the heart’s oxygen demand. It also causes heart attack where part of the heart muscle dies. Heart attacks happen when an artery to your heart muscle becomes completely blocked and part of the heart muscle fed by that artery dies. It is usually a result of blood clot or other blockage in the already narrowed coronary artery. The symptoms of coronary heart disease include feeling chest pain while walking, going up the staircase, after taking a meal and feeling tired easily.

What does a doctor check for when a person has CAD? The following experience of a male friend (aged 62 in 2006) could be regarded a typical case of conventional treatment.

1986: Experienced chest pain at the age of 52. Doctor confirmed that there was too much water in the lungs. He underwent Scope check to examine internal chest condition. The 30-minute Scope check was a painful and unforgettable experience. Medicine was consumed to stop chest pain.

January 1987: Faced difficulty in breathing and was given medicine to reduce the problem. Underwent Stress test and was confirmed to have coronary heart disease.

June 1987: Underwent further checking at a private hospital. He continued to take medicine to reduce the heart disease. He spent a total of RM2,700 for the medical check-up and medicine.

1987–1999: Took three types of medicines a day, namely GTN, ‘Bitolok’& Cardyprint to reduce heart pain, smoothen blood circulation and clean the blood. He had frequent serious headache to the extent of wanting to remove his hair. He experienced nose bleed occasionally.

December 1999: Underwent second Stress test and continued to take medicines. He realized the reality of the need to take medicines for the rest of his life to survive.

June 2000: Warded in a government hospital to undergo Angiogram. Confirmed one large vein and two smaller veins were blocked. The 45-minute Angiogram examination was a painful process.

June 2000: Before the surgery, he was asked to sign a letter to permit the doctor to conduct the surgery. He was also shocked when the nurse asked him where his body would be buried in case the surgery did not succeed. He was allowed to have a final interaction with family members. The by-pass surgery took 20 hours. From a total of three patients who underwent surgery on the same day, he was one of the two survivors while the other passed away. He rested in the hospital for a month. The medical bill totalled RM38,000.

June 2000 (after surgery): Each day, the patient had to take 14 tablets of 7 types of medicines, i.e. Simvastatin (Zocor), Iisosorbide Dinitrate, Amlodipine (Norvasc), Ticlopidine (Ticlid), Metoprolol (Denex), Ranitide (Vesyca) and Trimetazidine (Vastarel). The patient has to paste the chest with Nitroglycerine twice a day to reduce chest pain. When the medicines were taken accordingly, the body and mental conditions were good. However, if these medicines were not consumed, the body became weak and he could not focus on whatever he did.

November 2004: Medical check-up showed that there was new vessel blockage. It was confirmed the patient had another disease, diabetes. He had to consume another medicine, Proscar.

April 2005–2006: Vessel blockage remained. There was no need to undergo another operation. He continued to take medicine. Having experienced all these sufferings, he truly realized that “health is more important than wealth”.

2007: The medicines prescribed by the doctor were 7 types:
a) Control cholesterol and purify blood—Simvastatin, 20 mg (Zocor), 1 tablet once a day
b) Strengthen heart—Isosorbide Mononitrate, 60 mg CR Tab (Imdex), 1 tablet once a day
c) Control heart bit—Amlodipine 10 mg Tab (Norvasc), 1 tablet once a day
d) Purify blood—Iosartan potassium 50 mg (Cozaar), half a tablet once a day
e) Control high blood—Ticlopidine 258 mg (Ticlid), 1 tablet once a day
f) Metoprolol 100 mg, (Denex), half a tablet once a day
g) Control high blood—Trimetazidine, 20 mg Tab (Vasteral), 1 tablet thrice a day.

2008: He was prescribed additional medicine to ensure good blood circulation. In October, he fell after attending an evening prayer. He complained that his eye sight was getting worse and he had to temporarily stop driving. He attributed the deteriorating health condition to taking too many types of medicines over the years.

2009: His health problem deteriorated. He has poorer eye sight compared to last year and only drives occasionally when necessary. He has little choice but continues with the medicines prescribed.

Normally, a patient who had undergone by-pass surgery has to continue taking medicine. The first type of medicine is to prevent blockage in the replaced blood vessel. The second type of medicine is anti-cholesterol. It prevents the occurrence of hypertension which may further lead to vessel blockage. If the patient has hypertension, he/she is also prescribed medicine to control the blood pressure. The bypass surgery does not mean the end to heart disease. About 50% of the patients are likely to experience recurrence of vessel blockage 10 years after the surgery.

Take care of your health. Do not be a victim of heart disease. The health history of my friend above is not meant to frighten you but serves as a caution to all of us. Take necessary steps to avoid and reduce chances of heart disease occurrence in the future.