Hi everybody,

I just learned that my book is sold out at Amazon.com again. I don’t know when Amazon will be getting more copies — maybe in two or three weeks.

However, if you want to read The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery, you can order the eBook or paperback from this website by clicking here.

FYI… Amazon.com does not have the new 2010 edition and Amazon does not offer a 100% money-back guarantee, so it’s probably better to order from this website anyways.

Keep on tickin!

I just received a great question from Mark that relates to cardiac depression after heart valve surgery.

Mark writes, “Adam – Thanks for your book and website. It’s pretty amazing what you have done for so many patients who need heart valve surgery. As for my question, I am nine weeks post-surgery. I feel like my mental health is declining due to the operation (and other family issues). I’m having more bad days than good days. I’m curious… How long were you in cardiac depression? Thanks, Mark”

As Mark alludes, cardiac depression is a post-operative condition that can impact heart surgery patients. During my research, I learned that the onset of cardiac depression can be immediate or delayed (by weeks or even months) after surgery.

Regardless of when cardiac depression manifests, reports suggest that between 30% to 75% of patients can experience feeling anxious or depressed after surgery. During my own survey of former heart valve surgery patients, 32% of respondents said they experienced some form of cardiac depression.

As for Mark’s question, “How long does cardiac depression last?”, I have yet to find a clinical answer.

However, Doctor R. Scott Mitchell, professor of cardiovascular surgery at Stanford Hospital and Clinics, notes, “I think there is a strong incidence of acute postoperative depression, which uniformly resolves in a period of weeks… I think the cause is entirely unknown, but it could be the psychological effect of anticipating surgery, the prolonged time under anesthesia, or the result of the heart-lung machine.” 

Although I was not able to provide Mark with a definitive answer to his question, I hope the information above provides some additional insight into the topic of cardiac depression. If you experienced cardiac depression, perhaps you can share your experience relative to the question, “How long were you in cardiac depression?” Simply click here to leave a comment.

In advance, thanks for your thoughts!

Keep on tickin!

In response to our recent discussions about the progression of heart valve stenosis and rheumatic heart valve disease, I have received several emails about the anatomy of the heart and the anatomy of our heart valves. Most of these inquiries have come from patients recently diagnosed with some form of severe valvular disorder.

Interactive Heart Anatomy Tool At  www.MyHeartValveChoice.com

To help those patients (and perhaps you) learn more about human heart anatomy, you may want to visit www.MyHeartValveChoice.com. This website, which officially launched last week, contains an interactive section that describes heart anatomy and helps answer three key questions for patients and caregivers:

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In 2009, the global news wires were filled with stories about public figures undergoing heart valve surgery. As you might recall, Robin Williams, Barbara Bush, Ed Koch, Elizabeth Taylor and many other well-known people had heart valve repair or heart valve replacement surgery last year.

Bob Uecker – Heart Valve Surgery Patient

This year had been relatively quiet until a few days ago… When we learned that the infamous Bob Uecker just had a significant cardiac surgery which included a heart valve replacement. Here is more on the story:

Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker had successful heart surgery Friday, April 30, 2010. The procedure was six-hours long and could keep Bob Uecker away from his beloved Brewers for up to three months.

In a statement, Uecker’s surgeon said he replaced the 75-year-old broadcaster’s aortic valve, aortic root and part of his ascending aorta. The surgeon also performed a coronary bypass. At this time, I do not know which type of heart valve replacement device Bob Uecker selected. However, given his age, I imagine he selected a pig or cow valve.

Doctor Alfred C. Nicolosi – Bob Uecker’s Surgeon

“As of 2:30 p.m., Bob is out of surgery and in the ICU,” said Doctor Alfred C. Nicolosi, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin. “We are pleased that Mr. Uecker’s surgery went smoothly today.”

Uecker is expected to remain in the hospital for five to seven days and his full recovery is expected to take 10 to 12 weeks – although patient recovery times vary.

Bob Uecker is in his 40th season broadcasting Brewers games. He also has starred in commercials and the television sitcom “Mr.
Belvedere.”

Keep on tickin’ Bob!

I just received an interesting question from Frank about rheumatic heart disease and heart valve surgery.

Frank writes, “Hi Adam – I’m preparing for mitral valve repair surgery due to stenosis caused by rheumatic fever. So far, I have not come across many patients like me. I’m curious… Is rheumatic heart valve disease common? Or, am I the lucky outlier? Thanks, Frank”

After speaking with thousands of patients over the years, my gut response to Frank’s question is that his diagnosis is less common than other patients. However, this is not to say that Frank is alone. For example, if you type “rheumatic” into the search field on the side margin of this blog, you will see several patient stories relating to rheumatic fever.To further evaluate Frank’s question, I just did some quick research about rheumatic fever and heart valve disorders. I found some helpful information from the American Heart Association (AHA).

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