Low Blood Pressure issue for my Dad

[Bluegrass]

Hi,

My Dad underwent AVR with a homograft valve, and a single bypass, a week ago Monday.

Would any of you be able to provide me with a snapshot of what managing bp is like after surgery, and if low blood pressure is common? This morning my Dad is having an issue with feeling very tired, and having low blood pressure, and any thoughts are welcome. A nurse just left my parents house, and Dad's bp was around high 80s/50 in one arm, and 90/50 in the other. My mom told me his bp meds were adjusted once already. They are awaiting a call back from the doctor's office at this time. What bp necessitates a trip to the ER?

When my Dad was discharged, he had to assure them he had a way to measure his bp at home, which he actually did. I found out from my Mom that when they tried to use the cuff soon after he got home, they discovered it was broken, and my Mom hadn't gotten another one. I was under the impression that it was an important diagnostic tool to have at home under the circumstances; I really, really wish I could be there to help out and manage details and errands as necessary. Did you all have/use a bp cuff after surgery, and was it helpful?

Thank you for any advice,

Christie

[Ross]

Christie it would be best to get the info from his doctor. While it's not an emergency, it is pretty darn low and the Doctor needs to know about it now. There really isn't much you can do about it as it's drug controlled at this point. What meds do they have him on? Might be something just a little to strong there.

As for the BP cuff, none of us that I know of were told to get one, but once you become a heart patient, I think it really should be part of your tool kit in the house. I have one and monitor mine twice a day.

[hensylee]

I suggest that anyone who has a blood pressure problem of any kind, get a cuff to check it at home, do it the same time each day - or every several days.

I had a surgery (not related) a couple years ago and my bp went down enough that the dr took me off it altogether while in the hospital. When I finally got back to my regular doctor he put me right back on it even tho the numbers were still low enough!

[Bluegrass]

Thanks for your replies! He has an appt. in the morning and they will be adjusting his meds. My sister sat with Dad while my Mom went out and bought a bp cuff. His bp was back up to 120/70 a little while after I first posted, so he's more comfortable now, and will be checking his bp on a regular basis.

I'm so grateful for this board!

Christie

[aussigal]

I was told/strongly suggested to get myself a BP measurer :D ...which I did and to measure it 3 times a week some mornings and some evenings...

One thing I recall about low BP after surgery is that some anaesthetics can also interract with your BP meds and cause it to drop even lower than it would normally...


I had this myself after a totally non-heart related event when I had some nerves-zapped in my lumbar-spine...my BP was around the levels you 1st reported of your dad and it worried the nurses til they remembered I was on several BP meds because of my "other-condition" BAVD. It went back up and actually up over where it should be...

[jeffp]

They had me on so many meds after surgery, I was "zombified" until about week 4. As they reduced some of the meds (I started to complain more about the new bucket 'o pills) as I felt better, the BP went back to normal. In my case it was the Toprol that was dropping the BP so much. (Could barely stand, let alone think.) Tried Coreg with the same results. Everyone's different in the way the meds act. The beta blockers never really had the heart rate reduction effects they wanted, but boy did they do a number on the BP!