Dr. Fishbein received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Illinois. He completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Harbor General Hospital/UCLA Medical Center. He is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
"flu-like symptoms", such as chills, headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting.
The more specific symptoms and signs of infection will vary greatly depending upon the site of infection within the body.
Transplant patients who experience any of these findings need to seek medical attention immediately. The transplant physician will then do tests to determine whether the transplanted heart is functioning normally or not. If there is no evidence of rejection, a thorough search for infection will be performed so that the patient can be treated appropriately.
How is rejection of the organ diagnosed and monitored?
Currently, the gold standard for monitoring rejection is the endomyocardial
biopsy. This is a simple operation for the experienced cardiologist and can be
done as an outpatient procedure. First, a catheter is put into the
jugular vein
in the neck. From there, the catheter is advanced into the right side of the
heart (right ventricle) using an x-ray method called
fluoroscopy for guidance.
The catheter has a bioptome at its end, a set of two small cups which can be
closed to pinch off and remove small samples of
heart muscle. The tissue is
processed and placed on glass slides to be reviewed under the microscope by a
pathologist. Based on the findings, the pathologist can determine whether or not
there is rejection.
Immunosuppressive therapy is then adjusted, for example,
increased if rejection is present. Investigators have tried to develop less
invasive methods to monitor for rejection. There is a new high-tech analysis
that can be done in a sample of blood that is very promising and much easier for
the patient than the endomyocardial biopsy. This test looks at the expression of
specific genes in cells in the blood. The amount of expression of key genes
indicates whether or not rejection is occurring. Nevertheless, so far, no method
has replaced the endomyocardial biopsy.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is the most common type of infection acquired by patients while hospitalized. Patients at risk for VRE are those who are already ill, and hospitalized, including individuals with diabetes, elderly, ICU patients, kidney failure patients, or patients requiring catheters. Enterococci can survive for months in the digestive tract and female genital tract. Other risk factors for acquiring VRE include those how have been previously treated with vancomycin and combinations of other antibiotics. Treatment of VRE is generally with other antibiotics other than vancomycin. Prevention of VRE can be achieved by proper hand hygiene.
Medical shock is a life-threatening medical condition. There are several types of medical shock, septic shock, anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock, and neurogenic shock. Causes of shock include heart attack, heart failure, heavy bleeding (internal and external), infection, anaphylaxis, spinal cord injury, severe burns, chronic vomiting or diarrhea. Low blood pressure is the key sign of sock. Treatment is dependant upon the type of shock.
Heart failure is caused by many conditions including coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, and conditions that overwork the heart. Symptoms of heart failure include congested lungs, fluid and water retention, dizziness, fatigue and weakness, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the heart's ability to pump blood is decreased because the heart's main pumping chamber is enlarged and weakened. Symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy include chest pain, heart failure, swelling of the lower extremities, fatigue, weight gain, fainting, palpitations, dizziness and blood clots.
The heart is a very important organ in the body. It is responsible for continuously pumping oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body to sustain life. It is a fist-sized muscle that beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping a total of five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.
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