PH Medics please!!
Discussion
Hi all - I'd be grateful for some advice and opinions on whether I'm barking up the wrong tree here.
My dad is 71, about 7/8 years ago, he was getting a tightening in his chest and some difficulty breathing when he exerted himself - walking up hills etc. His GP diagnosed it as angina - without, I believe, conducting any further tests. He gave him a GTN spray which worked for him and everything carried on as normal.
About 4 years ago Dad was diagnosed with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes controlled by diet.
2 years ago he was referred to a cardiologist and did a treadmill test etc. etc. My understanding is that the cardiologist said that he was fine, and didn't need any further treatment - he has no medication for the angina other than the spray.
To my knowledge he doesn't use the GTN spray now and since the diagnosis of high bp and subsequent controlling by medication he's been absolutely fit as a fiddle.
BUT - here's the catch - it's becoming virtually impossible to get him travel insurance because the moment we declare the angina the premium goes up to £2500!! I've checked with his GP who now says that he only has very mild angina - that's great but it doesn't make any difference to the travel insurers!!
Now - without wishing to criticise his GP who is a thoroughly nice chap - I'm not convinced by the original diagnosis of angina. I'd like to try to contact the cardiologist and see what his opinion is?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this - what should I ask the cardiologist - am I just trying to delude myself that there isn't a problem? Is the cardiologist likely to want to get involved in this?
Thanks
Piglet.
My dad is 71, about 7/8 years ago, he was getting a tightening in his chest and some difficulty breathing when he exerted himself - walking up hills etc. His GP diagnosed it as angina - without, I believe, conducting any further tests. He gave him a GTN spray which worked for him and everything carried on as normal.
About 4 years ago Dad was diagnosed with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes controlled by diet.
2 years ago he was referred to a cardiologist and did a treadmill test etc. etc. My understanding is that the cardiologist said that he was fine, and didn't need any further treatment - he has no medication for the angina other than the spray.
To my knowledge he doesn't use the GTN spray now and since the diagnosis of high bp and subsequent controlling by medication he's been absolutely fit as a fiddle.
BUT - here's the catch - it's becoming virtually impossible to get him travel insurance because the moment we declare the angina the premium goes up to £2500!! I've checked with his GP who now says that he only has very mild angina - that's great but it doesn't make any difference to the travel insurers!!
Now - without wishing to criticise his GP who is a thoroughly nice chap - I'm not convinced by the original diagnosis of angina. I'd like to try to contact the cardiologist and see what his opinion is?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this - what should I ask the cardiologist - am I just trying to delude myself that there isn't a problem? Is the cardiologist likely to want to get involved in this?
Thanks
Piglet.
It sounds like the diagnosis was probably correct - but it may be worth contacting the consultant to get the results of the treadmill (although the GP should also have this).
May I suggest you make an appointment with the GP, and explain the travel insurance situation, and ask about the results of the treadmill, the consultant's opinion etc. Believe it or not, most GPs are pretty helpful and willing to sort out this type of quandry. Travel insurance companies are very twitchy with anyone who isn't in perfect health. I'm sure a chat with your dad's GP will get the information you need.
May I suggest you make an appointment with the GP, and explain the travel insurance situation, and ask about the results of the treadmill, the consultant's opinion etc. Believe it or not, most GPs are pretty helpful and willing to sort out this type of quandry. Travel insurance companies are very twitchy with anyone who isn't in perfect health. I'm sure a chat with your dad's GP will get the information you need.
The GP/Consultant will not tell you anything.
Doctors, nurses, paramedics etc are not allowed to tell anyone anything about a patient (including family) unless they are in direct care of that person e.g. a paramedic can tell a doctor who may tell a surgeon on consultant.
So unless your father is with you when you go to see the GP, consultant, who ever and gives his permision for the doctor to answer your question you will not get anything out of him.
As for the angina question, the diagnosis is probablly correct, but there are varying degrees of it which can be masked by other medical conditions. glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is the most common drug given to angina sufferers, but whether they take it or not is a different matter
Doctors, nurses, paramedics etc are not allowed to tell anyone anything about a patient (including family) unless they are in direct care of that person e.g. a paramedic can tell a doctor who may tell a surgeon on consultant.
So unless your father is with you when you go to see the GP, consultant, who ever and gives his permision for the doctor to answer your question you will not get anything out of him.
As for the angina question, the diagnosis is probablly correct, but there are varying degrees of it which can be masked by other medical conditions. glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is the most common drug given to angina sufferers, but whether they take it or not is a different matter
Angina can only be diagnosed using an exercise tolerance test (treadmill). I've seen many patients who have been "diagnosed" with angina without it, issued a GTN spray and left to ge ton with it. They never use the spray which sems to sugegst the problem is muscle or skeleton and therefore will clear up on its own. I have seen a similiar problem with people been diagnosed as asthmatic. You can ask the GP to remove the diagnosis from the records.
medicineman said:
Angina can only be diagnosed using an exercise tolerance test (treadmill). I've seen many patients who have been "diagnosed" with angina without it, issued a GTN spray and left to ge ton with it. They never use the spray which sems to sugegst the problem is muscle or skeleton and therefore will clear up on its own. I have seen a similiar problem with people been diagnosed as asthmatic. You can ask the GP to remove the diagnosis from the records.
Wonderful thanks medicineman that's exactly what I was looking for. To pick up on the other points, Dad's GP has his consent to talk to me and we'll put the same in place with the consultant.
Thanks all.
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