Dubai hospital saves woman with a weak heart
dubai — If you experience severe shortness of breath and feel your heartbeat is abnormal, do not ignore it — you could be suffering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.
This was the advice of Dr Anil Bansal, consultant interventional cardiologist at Zulekha Hospital, who recently dealt with a similar case of an Egyptian expat, Fawzia Zakaria Abou ElNasr, in her 50s. She had been experiencing an abnormal heartbeat, unstable blood pressure and even a little walking or work would lead to tiredness and heavy breathing. In short, she had a weak heart as 75 per cent of it was damaged due to a viral myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium). Myocarditis can affect a person’s heart muscle and heart’s electrical system, reducing your heart’s ability to pump and causing rapid or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
A number of heart complications had disrupted Fawzia’s routine. After suffering for about a year from various ailments, she visited Dr Anil Bansal, consultant interventional cardiologist at Zulekha Hospital, and he at once suggested a cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillator (CRTD) implantation.
Explaining how it works, Dr
The implanted CRT-D, is a medical device for patients who have a weak heart with a delayed electrical conduction. The procedure is nothing short of a transplant and costs about Dh200,000.” Dr Anil Bansal, consultant interventional cardiologist, Zulekha Hospital
Bansal said: “The implanted CRT-D is a medical device used in cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). It resynchronises the contractions of the heart’s ventricles by sending tiny electrical impulses to the heart muscle, which can help the heart pump blood throughout the body more efficiently. It is for patients who have a weak heart with a delayed electrical conduction. Through this medical procedure, we can place this special kind of pacemaker (CRT-D), which has a battery life of 7-10 years and can be changed. The CRT-D also incorporates the additional function of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator,
I was experiencing an abnormal heartbeat and my blood pressure was unstable. After the procedure, I have regained my healthy life back and now I’m able to manage my work as well.” Fawzia Abou ElNasr, Egyptian expat
to quickly terminate an abnormally fast, life-threatening heart rhythm.”
Abou ElNasr said: “I was experiencing symptoms for two years and when I came for a check-up at Zulekha Hospital in Sharjah I was experiencing an abnormal heartbeat and my blood pressure was unstable. A little walking or work would lead to tiredness and heavy breathing. After the procedure, I have regained my healthy life back and now I’m able to manage my work as well.”
“This case is an example of how a normal working woman’s life can be completely disrupted. We are so pleased to see she has her life back once again and can enjoy the future with her family,” Dr Bansal told Khaleej Times.
“The procedure is nothing short of a transplant and costs about Dh200,000,” Dr Bansal added.
Since the procedure, Abou ElNasr has made a good clinical recovery and left the Zulekha Hospital ICU without any complications.
saman@khaleejtimes.com