Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. Its me again. Its been a while. My son as you know in the previous e-mail, has Aids. He did get the sores that Dr. Slotten said he would probably get. Now he is having trouble with his teeth and just had an ultra sound done on his heart. This is due to his breathing. They have put him on a breathing machine. He said his ultra sound (according to his Doctor) is showing something like Viral Cardiopulmonary or something like that. His Doctor said that it is not rare for patients with Aids. Can you tell me a little about this condition?
I just want to say thank you all for all your support and help. You have been a blessing to me.
Ross Slotten, M.D.
Klein and Slotten Medical Associates
Private Practice in Family Medicine
With a special interest in HIV disease
I'm glad to hear that you and your son are hanging in there. I think your son has a viral cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy literally means an inflammatory condition of the heart muscle. In this case, it's caused by HIV. It can be mild or severe. In the severest cases, the heart muscle is so weak that it can't pump blood effectively. The afflicted person can then develop heart failure, characterized by fluid backing up throughout the body. When this happens, a person can feel short of breath even at rest and suffer from swelling in the abdomen and legs. In milder cases, a person may feel almost nothing-perhaps a little more shortness of breath when he or she exerts him or herself. Unfortunately, there's no specific
treatment for this condition except diuretics (to get rid of the fluid) and other medicines to help the heart pump more effectively. For those patients whose HIV is well-controlled and whose immune systems are in good condition, a heart transplant may be an option when all else fails. I hope your son's condition doesn't progress to this point.
I wish all the best for you.
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