The initial ECHO and physical examination revealed a large accumulation of fluid around the heart that affects its pumping ability and continues to lead to a drop in blood pressure.
Seeing her health decline day by day, doctors introduced her to drug treatment to control her blood pressure.
At this stage, it is really important to improve the pumping ability of the heart which can only be done by draining the fluid. As a first step, she was treated with anti-tuberculosis therapy. The initial diagnosis confirmed that the patient had tuberculosis.
The team led by Dr Vivudh Pratap Singh, Consultant Cardiologist at the hospital, said: “It is challenging to manage comorbidities, while at the same time ensuring the patient remains stable.
“During the course of anti-TB treatment, we faced another challenge, when the patient started to have a fast heart rate that didn’t stop (ventricular tachyarrhythmia), Singh said.
She had an ICD implanted – a special type of pacemaker that can shock her heart rate.
“Tuberculosis is mostly considered a common disease associated with fever, as a single symptom, but in our country tuberculosis is still common; its effect on the heart goes largely undiagnosed. With timely diagnosis and the right treatment, TB can be controlled.” Singh said.
The patient is now recovering well, the doctor said.
Source: IANS
