brother's stress test.. seems slow to schedule cath..

My brother finally got into a cardiologist.. they did a stress test and other things, put him on a calcium channel blocker and a long acting nitroglycerine. He had to stop the latter because of debilitating headaches. They are supposed to do a cath. One of his symptoms (in addition to some chest pain here and there), was O2 dropping and coming back up. I forget why he started measuring it. I suppose shortness of breath. He keeps calling and they keep saying, we will have the scheduler call you. This was at least a few weeks ago they did the stress test. It is in a small(ish) town. I suppose he can go to the ER But how long do places usually take to set up caths after an irregular stress test?? Also does the doctor matter when doing caths or is it pretty much anyone who does them can do them??

Next to my hubby my brother is my best friend and we talk all the time. I want him to be around awhile (and he isn't going to start eating better till they do this... because he figures they will clean him out.).

Thanks

An ER isn't going to do anything for him unless he's experiencing symptoms at the time such as chest pain, shortness of breath, etc.

The scheduling issues are across the board for all specialists these days because they're all totally swamped following COVID. People didn't go to the doctor for two years, so now there's a huge backlog. Plus a lot of doctors said "screw it" and retired during COVID, making the problem worse. If you think cardiologists are bad, try seeing a dermatologist. I tried to get into see a dermatology NP and the next available appointment was over 9 months out.

Any interventional cardiologist who's been practicing for more than a year or two will be fine. It's not the mix of art and science that afib ablations are.

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bettylou4488
(and he isn't going to start eating better till they do this... because he figures they will clean him out.).

Tell him that's now how it works. There is no cleaning. They look for blocked arteries and insert a stent to prop them open. It's just a stopgap measure and doesn't stop plaque from building up in his arteries. In addition to improving his diet he probably needs to be on a statin.

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Carey
If you think cardiologists are bad, try seeing a dermatologist. I tried to get into see a dermatology NP and the next available appointment was over 9 months out.

That's wild. I do have a dermatologist I get into pretty easily (and I know he's good). I guess I should keep him a secret LOL!

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Carey
Any interventional cardiologist who's been practicing for more than a year or two will be fine. It's not the mix of art and science that afib ablations are.

Thanks. feel a little better about this all the way around... I think.

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Carey

(and he isn't going to start eating better till they do this... because he figures they will clean him out.).


Tell him that's now how it works. There is no cleaning. They look for blocked arteries and insert a stent to prop them open. It's just a stopgap measure and doesn't stop plaque from building up in his arteries. In addition to improving his diet he probably needs to be on a statin.

He is on a statin. But I will tell him. thanks again for responding.