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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from www.intensivecarehotline.com , where we instantly improve the lives of Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care, so that you can have PEACE OF MIND, real power, real control and so that you can influence decision making fast, even if you’re not a doctor or a nurse in Intensive Care!
This is another episode of “your questions answered” and in last week’s episode I explained
If you haven’t read it, you can check it out here.
In this week’s episode of “your questions answered” I want to answer another very important and frequently asked question of our readers at INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM and the question that I want to answer this week is
“HOW LONG CAN MY CRITICALLY ILL LOVED ONE STAY ON AN INTRA-AORTIC BALLOON PUMP(IABP) IN INTENSIVE CARE?”
If your loved one has been admitted to Intensive Care for critical illness and is now requiring an Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) chances are that your critically ill loved one has suffered from a major heart(cardiac) event such as a heart attack(myocardial infarct), Cardiac Arrest(sudden stop of the heart) or Open heart surgery(CABG).
These are the most common scenarios that lead to a weakness of the heart and more importantly a weakness of the heart muscles so that the heart muscles are too weak to provide sufficient contraction to pump the blood going through the heart chambers around the body to all other organs.
In any case, you and your Family want to get as much information as possible, because if you’re not getting advice from other sources, the Intensive Care team may only tell you a one sided story. Therefore, it’s a smart thing to do to check out other resources such as INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM
Furthermore, prior to your critically ill loved one suffering from a heart attack(myocardial infarct), Cardiac Arrest(sudden stop of the heart) or going for Open heart surgery(CABG), the leading cause for a heart attack(myocardial infarct), Cardiac Arrest(sudden stop of the heart) or for Open heart surgery(CABG) is the obstruction of blood vessels(arteries) supplying the heart with oxygen.
Without sufficient oxygen supply the heart can’t function properly and therefore a heart attack or a cardiac arrest occurs and Open heart surgery(CABG) to replace some of the blocked vessels that supply the heart with oxygen may be necessary.
After the heart attack, cardiac arrest or open heart surgery has occurred and an Echoecardiogram or an Angiogram(screening of the major blood vessels supplying the heart with oxygen) may have been performed, as well as Cardiac output measurements may be performed and after the weakness of the heart has been confirmed the Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) may be inserted. The Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) often goes hand in hand with Inotropic therapy for low blood pressure(hypotension).
Intra-aortic balloon pump(IABP) is only a short-term solution
The Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) is a short term and temporary solution to support a severely weak heart after Cardiac Surgery(Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG)), after a Heart Attack(Acute Myocardial Infarction) or after a Cardiac Arrest has been sustained.
It will only be used for a few days, up to one week in rare instances. The longer the Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) stays in place the higher the risk for infection, as the Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) enters one of the major arteries through the groin and then sits in front of the heart and supports fresh oxygenated blood supply to the heart in order to improve the contractions of the heart.
Sometimes the Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) stays in for up to one week and in rare instances I have seen it staying in for up to two weeks, therefore increasing the risk of infection.
Also, if the Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) is showing to be ineffective and the heart muscle’s contractility is not improving it may well be a sign that more and different therapy is required to get your critically ill loved one’s heart on the way to recovery.
Other treatment options after Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) could be
- ECMO
- LVAD/ RVAD
- Open heart surgery(CABG) if the IABP has been inserted before Cardiac surgery to get the heart stronger before having cardiac surgery
- Heart transplantation
Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) therapy in Intensive Care often goes hand in hand with mechanical ventilation and an induced coma.
Sometimes Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) therapy is taking place outside of Intensive Care, mainly in Coronary Care Units where ventilation and an induced coma is not part of your loved one’s treatment.
In any case, if your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care and has been placed on an Intra-aortic-balloon pump(IABP) chances are that you are out of your comfort zone and that you feel stressed, vulnerable, frustrated and overwhelmed by the experience of having your loved one critically ill in Intensive Care!
It’s good that you are seeking help and independent advice, because unless you have done your own research you should always question the Intensive Care team’s approach, because if you don’t question, you have no power, control and influence!
The consequence then is that the Intensive Care team can drive their own agenda and their agenda may not be in the best interest of your critically ill loved one and your Family.
I have learned this in more than 15 years Intensive Care nursing experience whilst working in three different countries around the world! You’d be surprised of how much goes on behind the scenes with the only purpose to keep you and your Family at arms length and the Intensive Care team has no interest in letting you see behind the scenes and they don’t want you to have control, power and influence!
How do you get to that all important feeling of PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care?
You’ll get the important feeling of control, power and influence by downloading your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” Report by entering your email below!
In your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” REPORT you’ll learn how to speak the “secret” Intensive Care language so that the doctors and the nurses know straight away that you are an insider and that you know and understand what’s really happening in Intensive Care!
In your FREE reports you’ll also discover
- How to ask the doctors and the nurses the right questions
- Discover the many competing interests in Intensive Care and how your critically ill loved one’s treatment may depend on those competing interests
- How to eliminate fear, frustration, stress, struggle and vulnerability even if your loved one is dying
- 5 “killer” tips& strategies helping you to get on the right path to PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence in your situation
- You’ll get real world examples that you can easily adapt to your and your critically ill loved one’s situation
- How to stop being intimidated by the Intensive Care team and how you will be seen as equals
- You’ll get crucial ‘behind the scenes’ insight so that you know and understand what is really happening in Intensive Care
- How you need to manage doctors and nurses in Intensive Care(it’s not what you think)
Thank you for tuning into this week’s “your questions answered” and I’ll see you again in another update next week! Make sure you also check out our “blog” section for more tips and strategies or send me an email to [email protected] with your questions!
Also check out our Products section where you get more Ebooks, Videos and Audio recordings and where you can also get 1:1 consulting!
This is Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM and I’ll see you again next week with another update!
Sincerely,
your Friend
Patrik Hutzel
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- Why your critically ill loved one might need Dialysis(Kidney machine) or Haemofiltration for Kidney Failure(Renal Failure) and is having a Dialysis machine attached to them(Part one)
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- If my critically ill loved one has a breathing tube(endotracheal tube) do they need a chest x-ray daily?
- How many blood tests should my critically ill loved one have in Intensive Care per day?
- What could be the cause if my critically ill loved one is removed from an induced coma but still hasn’t woken