The Rare Cardiovascular Disease “Eisenmenger Syndrome” Eisenmenger Syndrome is a rare cardiovascular disease that was named after the person who first described it in 1897, Victor Eisenmenger (Davis, 2017, p. 765). According to the article “Eisenmenger Syndrome in Children” by Ayden and Brass (2017), it is considered an “advanced form of Pulmonary Hypertension.” Pulmonary Hypertension is where the “arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs become narrow.” When these arteries become narrow, the pressure within these arteries rise to dangerous levels making the heart have to work harder to pump the blood back to the lungs, this eventually begins to damage the lungs (para. 1). According to the article “Eisenmenger Syndrome in Children”
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The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath, fatigue, syncope, lethargy, and inability to exercise due to the intolerance of the stress and prolonged recovery time (para. 1). There are many other symptoms related to Eisenmenger Syndrome but are due to the multisystem complications associated with cyanosis and the uncorrected congenital heart disease. These symptoms are related to heart failure, erythrocytosis, bleeding complications, vasodilation, cholelithiasis, and nephrolithiasis (El Chami, 2014, para. 3 -7). …show more content…
A few of these are laboratory studies, chest radiography and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), echocardiography, electrocardiography, and cardiac catherization. Common laboratory tests are CBC (complete blood count), biochemical profile, iron studies, and blood gas assessments. The imaging studies can show the congenital heart defects and pulmonary changes (para.1).
Treatment
According to El Chami (2014), the treatment of Eisenmenger Syndrome varies a lot and depends on the patient’s age and degree of symptoms. If a patient is not yet presenting with symptoms, he/she is monitored with anticipation of treatment. For others that present with symptoms, the treatment is based on severity of symptoms and whether the patient is a good candidate for heart/lung transplant. The patient is only a good candidate for surgical repair if the defect is caught early and Eisenmenger’s Syndrome has not yet developed (para. 1) Medication therapy is used for patients with Eisenmenger Syndrome to improve or slow the progression of the complications that arise. El Chami (2014) lists each medication as
The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath, fatigue, syncope, lethargy, and inability to exercise due to the intolerance of the stress and prolonged recovery time (para. 1). There are many other symptoms related to Eisenmenger Syndrome but are due to the multisystem complications associated with cyanosis and the uncorrected congenital heart disease. These symptoms are related to heart failure, erythrocytosis, bleeding complications, vasodilation, cholelithiasis, and nephrolithiasis (El Chami, 2014, para. 3 -7). …show more content…
A few of these are laboratory studies, chest radiography and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), echocardiography, electrocardiography, and cardiac catherization. Common laboratory tests are CBC (complete blood count), biochemical profile, iron studies, and blood gas assessments. The imaging studies can show the congenital heart defects and pulmonary changes (para.1).
Treatment
According to El Chami (2014), the treatment of Eisenmenger Syndrome varies a lot and depends on the patient’s age and degree of symptoms. If a patient is not yet presenting with symptoms, he/she is monitored with anticipation of treatment. For others that present with symptoms, the treatment is based on severity of symptoms and whether the patient is a good candidate for heart/lung transplant. The patient is only a good candidate for surgical repair if the defect is caught early and Eisenmenger’s Syndrome has not yet developed (para. 1) Medication therapy is used for patients with Eisenmenger Syndrome to improve or slow the progression of the complications that arise. El Chami (2014) lists each medication as