How to Determine if Open-Heart Surgery Is Necessary

Do you have any serious breathing problems? Are you having chest pain frequently? Do you have a history of heart ailments? If so, there may be need for open-heart surgery in case the heart condition weakens. Here is how to determine when open-heart surgery is necessary.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Determine if you have a serious breathing problem and if this problem appears frequently.

2. Note if you experience pain in the chest quite often.

3. Go for specific medical tests depending on your symptoms: electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, blood and urine tests. Go in for coagulation tests, prothrombin time, platelet count, partial thromboplastin time, bleeding and clotting time or lung function tests when necessary. If the results of these tests are positive, you may need open-heart surgery.

4. Note that there are certain types of heart-related problems that necessitate open-heart surgery: tumor of the heart, cardiac trauma, atrial fibrillation, congenital heart disease and coronary artery diseases.

5. Meet with a qualified cardiologist.

6. Consult from more than one heart surgeon, if needed. This will confirm the need for open-heart surgery.

7. Involve your family doctor. Seek his or her advice before making the decision to undergo open-heart surgery.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not make decisions on your own. Follow your doctor’s advice. Never wait for long after you face breathing problems or chest pain. Go to the doctor at once or it can prove fatal.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.