Ask the Doctor: Pulmonary Hypertension; Home Health Care; Allergies
Q: I’ve had mitral valve disease for a long time, as well as poorly controlled blood pressure. I also developed pulmonary hypertension. My mitral valve was repaired, but I wonder if that will help my pulmonary hypertension. It seems like a very serious condition.
A: Pulmonary hypertension (sometimes called pulmonary arterial hypertension or PAH) results when the pres-sure rises to unhealthy levels in the arteries carrying blood to the lungs. You’re right that is a serious health concern. If left untreated, pulmonary hypertension can lead to serious health complications and an early death.
But now that you and your doctor are aware of your condition, you can continue to help improve your health. If your mitral valve disease was the cause of your pulmonary hypertension (there are many possible causes of PAH), then having a repaired mitral valve may very well lead to improvements in the health of your pulmonary arteries. But you should also do whatever you can to help control your blood pressure, too. If you’re not following your medication regimen closely, commit now to taking your medications as prescribed and taking other steps, such as exercise, healthy eating, and not smoking.
Q: My husband and I are looking into home health care. We’re not ready to move out of our home, but we both have some health issues (Parkinson’s and arthritis) that make things difficult some days. Any thoughts on how we should proceed?
A: Bringing in a home health care aide or nurse a couple of times a week for a few hours at a time can make life much easier if you have a disability that interferes with everyday activities or limits our ability to get out and about.
The first thing you two should do is make a list of the things with which you need help. You may just need someone to help make your bed or change your linens and take care of other household chores like light cooking, laundry, or housekeeping. Your community may contain companies that provide those services without doing any medical care. But if you need help taking your blood pressure, keeping your medications organized, assisting with exercises or physical therapy, bathing, or administering medications (such as insulin injections, for example), and tending to wounds or injuries, then you should definitely seek out a home health care company that can provide you with a nurse.
Once you have a list of your needs, start interviewing with home health care companies to find out if they can match someone with your needs. You’ll then want to meet with the individual who will actually be in your home. It’s important that you and your husband are comfortable with that person. If you aren’t, see if someone else from that agency is available.
Q: I’m starting to think I have allergies, even though I never had allergies as a child. But I get a stuffy nose and scratchy throat at various times throughout the year, with no other cold symptoms. Can you develop allergies in your 60s?
A: The idea that all allergies only emerge in childhood is a myth, and it’s one that keeps many older adults from seeking relief from allergy symptoms. While it’s true that most allergies show up before the age of 30, many people move to a new climate in retirement and suddenly find themselves sneezing and coughing for no obvious reason.
If you have nose, throat, and/or eye irritation and your nasal discharge is clear and thin, you may have allergies. This is especially true if those symptoms have lasted for at least two weeks.
Make an appointment with an allergist if you suspect you have an allergy. You could get some peace of mind about what’s causing your irritation, and get some treatment so you don’t have to suffer any more. This is the time of year you should be enjoying the outdoors.
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