Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 9/27/2006

Question
My dad was diagnosed 2 week ago with bowel cancer and had surgery on Friday to remove.  He has diabetes and angina so was a high risk.  On Sunday night he had problems breathing and Monday morning had water on lung and heart (this happened 10 year ago when injection given, then reacurred 4 days later when he had blood transfusion), they gave injection which has worked but now told us today that he actually had a mild heart attack.  They are moving him off intensive care into ward today as feel he is ok to move, he is still in a lot of pain which I presume is to be expected after surgery but we (family) are worried it may recur again, they say there is no reason for this to happen but obviously can't guarantee this.  Is he likely to make a full recovery from a mild heart attack like this and what are the chances of it recurring.

Answer
This question really should be directed to an expert on internal medicine or cardiology. However diabetes mellitus increases the risk of cardiosclerosis and therefore also of angina pectoris which you have stated he has. An angina pectoris patient is due to his cardiosclerosis of which his angina is a symptom at a higher risk of heart attacks (myocardial infarcts). So also your father. Any surgery or any other stress factor increases this risk even further. It may happen again or it may not. I hope he does have a cardiologist! For more details I recommend that you direct this question to a cardiologist as it is outside my area of expertise (cancer).