Suggest treatment for fluid around heart and lungs
Patient: my mum has is a 74 year old smoker who has fluid around the heart and on her lungs. Her feet are swollen and leaking. She has been put on a stronger diaretic but this has been going on for about a month. Her breathing is always bad but she seems to be making grunting noises when she sleeps. Whats the next step, She has an xray booked in about ten days. Doctor: Hi thereYour mum needs to stop smoking and she seems to be in low cardiac output state her heart is most probably not working adequately that causing the full to accumulate. Instead of waiting for an X ray u need to take her to a cardiologist asap and get an Echocardiography done to assess heart function.Good Luck