Question 1

My brother-in-law had a heart attack yesterday morning and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors said he had multiple strokes at home and in the hospital. They also mentioned that one of his arteries was previously blocked and now it's burst. He's been on a ventilator since yesterday morning, but now the doctors are saying he is no more and are asking us to remove the ventilator. What should we do in this situation? Is there anything else we can try?

Accepted Answer

I am sorry to hear about your brother-in-law's condition. It sounds like he experienced a severe medical emergency. In this situation, the focus is on providing comfort and support to the patient and their loved ones. It is important to trust the medical team's expertise and decision-making. In such cases, the medical team may use medications like Morphine to help manage pain and provide comfort to the patient during their final moments. Additionally, medications like Midazolam may be used to help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation. These medications can be administered intravenously at appropriate doses as needed. It is important to have open communication with the medical team and express any concerns or questions you may have during this difficult time.

Question 2

I've recently had a stress echo and it came back negative. Ten years ago, in 2011, I had an angiogram and it looked fine then too. In 2015, I went through a nuclear test, treadmill test, and some other checks, and they all turned out normal. Lately, Ive been having this dull pain in my neck that sometimes reaches up to my ear and jaw, and it also bothers my shoulder. My neck and upper back always feel stiff. My physiotherapist says my posture is pretty poor, mentions scoliosis, and thinks that might be causing this pain. I don't have issues when I'm walking and I can climb up to 12 floors without a problem but the neck and back pain, especially on the left side, really gets to me. Occasionally, I feel a sharp pain on the left side of my chest, but it fades away quickly. My chest is tender, and some spots are really sore to touch. Do you think it's safe to rule out any cardiac causes? Is there any other test I should consider doing?

Accepted Answer

Based on your history of negative stress echo, normal angio in 2011, and normal nuclear test and TMT in 2015, it is less likely that your current symptoms are related to cardiac issues. However, it is important to consider other potential causes for your neck, ear, jaw, shoulder, and chest pain. Given your description of neck stiffness and pain, along with the presence of scoliosis affecting your posture, it is possible that your symptoms are musculoskeletal in nature. To address your current symptoms, you may benefit from a muscle relaxant such as **Cyclobenzaprine** 10mg to help with the neck and back stiffness. Additionally, you can consider taking **Ibuprofen** 400mg for pain relief. Since you mentioned tenderness in your chest and certain points, it may be helpful to rule out any musculoskeletal chest wall pain. However, considering your history and current symptoms, further cardiac testing may not be necessary at this point. To improve your posture and alleviate the neck and back pain, regular physiotherapy sessions focusing on postural correction and strengthening exercises may be beneficial. It is important to continue working with your physiotherapist to address the underlying cause of your symptoms. If your symptoms persist or worsen, it is advisable to follow up with your healthcare provider for further evaluation and management.

Question 3

What does high blood pressure headache feel like?

Accepted Answer

According to the research available, most studies show that headache is not a symptom of high blood pressure unless a person is in hypertensive crisis. Hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency where blood pressure is more than 180/120 mm Hg with other symptoms such as nose bleed, chest pain and breathlessness. During this episode, headache can occur which is usually on both sides, pulsating type and increases with activity.

I'm a bit worried because my LDL is 145 and HDL is 50. It looks like my cholesterol levels are high. I don't really have any bad habits, don't eat a lot, and maintain a moderate weight. What's going on with my cholesterol?

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