My dad was just diagnosed with this. He's only 43 and is in decent shape. He is also hypoglycemic and will have diabetes someday. His family doctor did the echo thingie just as a precaution when he was having a hard time breathing sometimes. He isn't feeling horrible, just sometimes he falls asleep when he gets home and it's hours before he gets up. He and my mom said the family doctor told him to just eat better and start exercising regularly and they gave him a inhaler called Advair. But I'm wondering if this enough. Shouldn't he get to a specialist or is this something that really is just controlled by diet and exercise?
2007-03-23 05:05:29 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
I know it is HYPOglycemia because I have it too. Diabetes runs in my dad's family and it starts with hypoglycemia when we're young and is a sign that the pancreas is unstable. When we get older we know our pancreases will burn out just like they did in the other 20 relatives in my grandpa's generation who are now diabetic. I think it's worth mentioning because blood sugar is a pretty vital part of being alive, just like breathing and a beating heart are. I don't know if it means anything or not, but it is a serious thing so I thought it worth mentioning so that if anyone does know about this disease they can take it into account in their answers.
2007-03-23 05:21:14 · update #1
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy is the result of some underlying cause. I don't see diabetes listed - but high blood pressure is. It may be that your father has mild or early stages of LVH (he is rather young) and that he may also have high blood pressure, which can be treated with diet, exercise, and if needed, medications.
I would suggest talking in detail with your father, or accompanying him on his next doctor's appointment, if he is willing to have you go with him.
2007-03-23 05:49:56 · answer #1 · answered by Sue O 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I must edit by saying... Prove me wrong on anything I posted here. If you can't, then put up or shut up. What my post said is solid fact.
Alright... this part is added too. I'm not deleting any of my post because I stand by my words, but yes schumacker, I am sorry if I overreacted. I just don't believe anything is so clear cut to say "patient A will get disease B because he exhibits symptom C early on in life." As you know, if things were that easy everything would be cured by now...and I would be out of a job. I thought you gave me thumbs down bc I was rude in my post. I guess others did though, not you and I stand corrected. Sorry about that error.
Of course he probably should get checked out by a specialist. I wouldn't trust advice on YA forum. What I don't understand is the "he is also hypoglycemic and will have diabetes someday." First of all, is this related to your question? Second of all, HYPERglycemia would indicate one has diabetes...not HYPOglycemia. You can't tell for SURE if someone will get diabetes unless they actually have it. Sure it has been shown to possibly have a genetic component, but it isn't a sure thing...may be quite irrelev.
To the PA below who gave me a thumbs down bc I refuse to say the posters dad WILL GET DIABETES...No, some people have hypoglycemia and never develop diabetes even if it has a strong family correlation. When diabetes manifests itself, it is HYPERGLYCEMIA.. come on, I know this stuff. The most you can say is... he doesn't have diabetes yet, and he may never have diabetes. He is hypoglycemic and there has been some sort of pretty small correlative link between type 2 later on in life but he MAY JUST BE HYPOGLYCEMIC! Sometimes even with family history one doesn't develop diabetes. Like I said above...its not a sure thing. As a physicians assistant, you should know this!
That is like me saying well, 1/3 of people will develop cancer by the time they are 70 so you will DEFINITELY get it. Doesn't make ANY sense, my friend. Maybe you need to stick with clinical and away from research if you think the way you do. That infuriates me. You do NOT have any more a right than the poster of this question to say that his dad "WILL HAVE DIABETES SOMEDAY." Maybe he will, maybe he wont. You have NO clue!
2007-03-23 05:16:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The left ventricular hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle due normally to high blood pressure or abnormally high blood volumes. The pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is probably a secondary condition due to the problem with the heart. The Advair is a drug normally prescribed to patients with asthma. While exercise is always a good option, in your father's case, the PHT should be a major concern. If your father is not seeing a specialist, he needs to see one ASAP. The PHT cannot be treated until the heart problem is addressed. PHT will only worsen if the heart problem is not taken care of and PHT can kill. I don't want to alarm you, but a GP or FP does not have the experience necessary to treat these two problems. Telling your dad to use his inhaler and get more exercise may not be the proper course of action. Exercise (specifically isometric) can actually cause pressures to increase in the lungs and if he already has PHT, this could kill him. Do the right thing, get him in to see either a cardiologist or pulmonologist. Good luck.
2007-03-23 06:01:56 · answer #3 · answered by Barry M 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Diabetes and hypoglycemia are related. People who early in life show some level of dysfunction in handling appropriate glucose/insulin/glucagon levels often go on to be diabetic later in life. Of course environment plays a role here too. Weight maintenance, exercise, and healthy eating can all be very helpful to warding off later-life diabetes.
Good luck.
Gee, some people (Laura) might need a piece of chocolate cake or a foot rub or something. Over-react much?
I only give someone a thumbs down if they say something clearly dangerous and/or deleterious...not when I simply disagree. So others have been giving you thumbs down. I do not doubt you know your material; I simply stated what I know to be correct. Re-read my original posting (unchanged) above and see if you still stand by your edited comments. I think what I did and didn't say is self-evident. (insert your apology here) And Laura, I know you are a cancer researcher but try to lighten up a bit - get out, have a picnic (wear sun screen of course), smell a flower, give a dog a pat...you might feel better.
Best wishes.
Oh, as far as the other part of the question.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoFs4fiHmvKIpWTwzTit.zrsy6IX?qid=20070323082346AAk23Xt&show=7#profile-info-7Pr0uWi8aa
2007-03-23 05:36:45 · answer #4 · answered by c_schumacker 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you are really worried about this, then take him to a specialist. The worst that can happen is that he didnt need to go to one. But it will make you feel better to know for sure if he is doing the right things. At his age, i think diet and exercise are probably the best options. Its possible there are some medications that could be administered however since he is still young, they probably want to wait on those.
2007-03-23 05:11:27 · answer #5 · answered by becksby87 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Right Handed
2016-03-29 01:01:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-03-05 05:10:46 · answer #7 · answered by Albert 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋