What does this mean?
My husband just got out of the ICU for respiratory failure due to emphysema. During the stay they did an echocardiogram which was quite abnormal compared to one that had been done 3 months prior. After discharge he went for a nuclear stress test. We got the results today and they were given to us by a nurse practioner who did ot explain things very well, so I would appreciate interpretation:
"The left ventricle was moderately enlarged in size at rest. The left ventricle was moderately enlarged in size at peak exercise. There is no evidence of abnormal lung activity. Right ventricle appears normal.
SPECT images demonstrate a large perfusion abnormality of severe intensity presnet in the basel to apical interior wall. the rest images reveal moderate reversibility in the mid to basel interior wall. Gated SPECT imaging demonstrates global hypokinesis. The left ventricle ejection fraction is calculated to be 36%."
So what is this? He has been having terrible chest pain but she said it is probably due to the chest compressions they did in the ER when he was taken to the hospital. Also, his father died from primary pulmonary hypertention. Does this test show evidence of that? She told him to come back to see the doctor in 2 months.