Apex wall thinning

[Labbey]

hi everybody.

Here I go again. just wondering do any of you know what this means. I had an echo done today and now dr. says this wall is thinning. I don't get it. I think I have heard a little about this, but not sure what it means. ANYONE??? Or does it mean anything and is just a part of the craziness of this heart???? I am thinking it probably means something. That is not "normal" for that to happen....

And is this real common for most of us? I have never been told this was happening on echo's in the past.

I appreciate you guys talking in real people way!

The apex is part of the wall of the left ventricle? Is that part right? I can't find anything about this specific thing on the internet yet.

I gave my cardiologist a brochure and information about the HCMA. He was glad to know about it. He says he has 3 or 4 other patients with HCM and he is going to share this with them. I feel like I did a little good in passing along this!!!

Thanks for any info!! I have never really even knew of an apex in the heart! helloooooo!

take care,
Lisa A.

[Burton Borrok]

Hi Lisa A,
I haven’t heard much about this, but I did find a couple of sites which might help you find out a bit more.

http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/cont...onaha;57/3/503

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepa...?ID=1543897145

I haven’t a clue of what the doctor meant with his remark, but I would bet that if you asked him for a detailed, layman’s explanation you would get it. (At least, you are entitled to it.)
Burt

[Boz]

The Apex is the lower pointed end of the heart and is an ideal target for a Dr. using ultrasound who is hoping to make a judgement about wall thickness as it can be found near a gap in the ribs and will show two walls of the heart where they intersect.

I suppose your Dr. is comparing these results with a previous echo to make these comments.

[Labbey]

apex wall is thinning

Burton and Oz,

Thank you so much for responding. Burton those websites are helpful, and Boz you are right about the measuring. That is what he was doing yesterday. The apex is the tip! Thank you!!

I am going to my primary today. He is really good at explaining things, so if he doesn't give me an explanation I understand I will call my cardiologist this afternoon.

Hey Burton how is the weather in Henderson NV? I lived there for about 6 weeks back in 1997. I made my husband take us back!! hahha I thought it was rough and hard to adjust to. I love the trees and missed that!

thanks again for the helpful info.!!!

Take care,
lisa a.

[Burton Borrok]

Hey Lisa A,
Having been born and bred in New York I know first hand how beautiful the mountains of upstate NY can be. We’re living here in Henderson for about three and a half years now, but before that we spent over twenty years in the San Fernando Valley.

I know all about trees. There those tall things with coconuts or dates growing on them, aren’t they? I don’t know about the coco part, but I feel right at home among the nuts. I moved here because it’s dry. Yeah, dry. The annual rainfall is about four and a half inches, and we reached that amount in February already. What we really need is snow in the Colorado Rockies. That river is what feeds Lake Mead, which is still down about 80 feet. It will take about five years of above average runoff to fill it back up again.

Enjoy your tree covered mountains and when you see a particularly beautiful scene ESP me a copy. Thanks –
Burt