“He sleeps a lot since his bypass.”
Ever been tested for apnea? Thumbs up, if you’ve checked off that box; if not, though, get it checked out. It’s important.
Mine went undiagnosed until I ended up in ER with A-Fib & had to ride the lightning to recover normal sinus rhythm. I was in my forties, and they wanted to put me on statins and assign me to a cardiologist for the rest of my life.
My wife phone a good friend in Respiratory medicine who said, “Definitely see the local cardio guy, but hold the drugs until you see a pulmonologist and get a full in-clinic sleep study.” I did. Had to push insurance to get it, but I did.
I’m the second worst case in her practice, and she told me, “To look at you in a lineup of 100 people, I’d have never picked you as a possible case.”
I run my CPAP and my ticker is 100% A-OK.
Doc said I’m a “solo flier,” zero damage, zero evidence that anything ever happened.
He also said, apnea is a possible trigger behind out-of-the-blue cardiac issues, but it’s not standard practice you send first-time cardiac patients for a sleep study, so apnea can continue to be an undiagnosed threat unless the patient campaigns on their own behalf. He agreed with my Respirology doc friend, my a-fib was triggered by my then-unknown apnea & I’m fortunate a-fib was my first event; for some the wake-up call is more serious, and for a few it’s fatal.
He was diagnosed with it. He just couldnt stand the mask. I am working on him this year. Doc said he has 5 years before his next open heart. That was 3.5 years ago.
Working on his thyroid this year, Lord willing. Dr Broda Barnes has a lot to say about under treated thyroid and cardiac. I will revisit his apnea also. He may be more willing.