What is the life expectency of a 51 year old

[JMWoreo]

male with mild heart failure? My dad had heart attack and quadruple bypass surgury at the young age of 42. Nine years later, on his 51st birthday (yesterday), he went to the doctor's office because of swelling in his ankles and shortness of breath. They told him that he has mild heart failure. I am a law student and the words "heart" and "failure" sound quite bad to me. I have researched some info on MHF and found that the average life expectency is ten years. Can someone give me a guess at what I can expect him to live. Also, he is having a heart cath. this Friday in a hospital that is not equipped for emergency heart surgury in the terrible event that it is needed. Should I talk to my parents about having the heart cath. switched to a capable hospital? Any answers about this disease would be greatly appreciated. Here are some stats on my dad:42 years - quadruple bypass (overweight)Significant weight loss and walks routinely since surguryDoes NOT smokeDrinks very little51 - diagnosed with MHF

[Tanya968]

Depends on the underlying disease and how long it has gone on, before the surgery and his improved habits. Good question to ask his doctor.Generally,people can live many years, even decades, after being diagnosed with heart failure.The trick is to maintain a salt-free diet, check weight every day or two (to catch fluid retention), eat a good heart-healthy diet, and exercise as tolerated (walking or whatever the doc approves such as swimming).The word "failure" does not mean the heart is failing altogether; but it means the pumping action is not up to par. Symptoms can be controlled, usually by medicines.As for getting a heart cath in a hospital that does not do cardiac surgery, i wouldn't want my Dad to have it there....I am a nurse who did cardiac surgery recovery in 3 of the U.S. states. It's just common sense and used to be routine that cardiac cath was only done in hospitals that could do emergency heart surgery. Now there is a trend toward doing cath at other hospitals, since the procedure is relatively common and safe. (But, see what i said above)