Laura's Story

Laura, heart failure patient

Laura was an active 28-year-old when her unexpected journey with heart failure began.

At first, Laura’s symptoms – coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue – appeared to be caused by a cold virus that had turned into bronchitis and then double pneumonia. Over the next two weeks, Laura first visited urgent care and then found a primary care doctor who recommended follow up at the clinic every few days to monitor her condition. Laura was taking medications to treat her symptoms, which were growing worse by the minute.

“When I would lie down, I couldn’t breath, which made sleeping almost impossible, and I would lose feeling in my arms and legs after walking about 15 yards,” she said.

At that time, Laura worked full-time as an event planner. She also coached a swim team and volunteered as a youth leadership facilitator and group leader at her church. Most days, Laura’s schedule started at 4 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m. Rest was not part of her usual routine.

However, Laura followed her doctor’s orders and cut out all activities except her fulltime job in the hopes that she would recover faster. Instead of improving, Laura’s symptoms continued to worsen.

Finally, an Answer

Two weeks after her first doctor’s visit, Laura was given a computer tomography (CT) scan, which showed fluid around her lungs and heart. Later the same day, an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) showed that Laura’s ejection fraction (EF) was 10-15 percent.

EF measures the percentage of blood pumped out of the heart during each beat. An EF less than 40 percent may indicate a weakened heart muscle and means the heart is no longer pumping well enough to meet the body’s needs. Medical research shows that people with an EF below 35 percent have a significant risk for developing dangerously fast heart rhythms and SCA.

Doctors diagnosed Laura with heart failure and immediately admitted her to the hospital to remove the fluid from her lungs and heart. She was stabilized with medication. Laura underwent extensive testing at the hospital and was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, which results when a virus damages the heart.

Doctors released Laura from the hospital one week later after her condition had stabilized. But she was still extremely ill and moved back in with her parents as she was unable to work or care for herself.

A Close Call

Over the next three weeks Laura’s symptoms again began to worsen. Then, one night, Laura experienced tremendous stomach pain, became disoriented, and collapsed as the result of what doctors diagnosed as critically low blood pressure.

In serious condition, Laura was placed in the intensive care unit (ICU). In the ICU, Laura did not respond to aggressive drug therapy, and significant drops in her blood pressure continued. One night, her heart monitor recorded a dangerously fast heart rate, also called ventricular fibrillation (VF), indicating she may be at risk for SCA. This prompted the electrophysiologist (EP) – a doctor who specializes in heart rhythm disorders – to recommend that Laura receive an implantable heart failure pacemaker with defibrillation immediately. This device may also be called cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation (CRT-D). The device may improve the heart’s pumping ability and correct dangerously fast heart rhythms.

The next day, Laura received her heart device. Laura and her family were pleasantly surprised that her energy began to return within three days.

Medtronic Heart Device Offers Second Chance

Shortly after receiving the heart device, Laura was able to return to work full-time. Laura’s doctor initially believed she might need a heart transplant. However, her symptoms have been reduced so effectively that at the end of her first year with the heart device, it was determined that a transplant was not necessary.

Today, Laura works full-time as an event planner and is once again very active. She spends her free time leading the youth group at her church, playing guitar, traveling, jogging, swimming, and sailing.

“For me, my heart device is a security blanket. I do not worry about tomorrow. I just live each day.”

Next: Timothy's Story

This story reflects one person's experience. Not every person will receive the same results. Talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

Last updated: 15 Apr 2011