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What Causes Bradycardia And Shortness Of Breath Postpartum?
Question: I had a baby on December 10, 2016. I was induced but had a normal vaginal delivery. A week after giving birth I went to the ER at the hospital where I give birth because I was having a slow heart beat and shortness of breath. They performed an EKG, ultrasound and did blood work. They said everything looked normal and sent me home. This past Monday I went to my obgyn dr for my postpartum visit and she asked me if I felt good and I said yes other than I've been having some heart palpitations. Some days I have them some days I don't. Some times I have a lot of them and some days I just have a couple. They happen at any time of day and I can be moving around, driving or relaxing. I wasn't to worried because after I had my first son 9 years ago I developed them. 9 years ago I wore a holtor monitor, had an echo and an EKG. They said I also had low magnesium and potassium then and ruled them out to be PCP's. So my obgyn doctor on Monday sent me to the lab to get my electrolytes checked and an EKG done. My electrolytes all came back normal but my EKG read RBBB. They repeated it a couple times and the EKG machine would read the same thing RBBB. My heart rate was within normal limits and the doctors reviewed the results and said they didn't see a big significance between the one yesterday and the one they did 6 weeks ago in the ER other than this one did read abnormal. Again though this doctor hospital is made up of OBGYN drs not cardiologists. Yesterday they checked all my blood and listened to my heart and lungs and sent me home. I have been feeling some dizziness upon getting up from bed and when I lay on my back I'm some what short of breath. Other than this I've had no symptoms. They want me to go see a nurse practitioner on Monday but I think I need to see a cardiologist ? Do you think this is a serious problem and I should go to another hospital with drs other than obgyn's? I am 26 years old and have had a ton of EKG's and have never had one read abnormal before. Only other symptoms I've had besides the palpiThe one 6 weeks ago before this one that was done yesterday didn't say anything about RBBB. I want a cardiologist opinion but can't get in to see one and I don't want to play games with my heart or suffer from sudden death. My heart rate still runs low when resting or relaxed in the 50's. I am getting palpitations on and off, sometimes I get dizziness upon getting up from bed and I do feel tired but I also have a 7 week old baby and get up in the night to feed him.
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows :
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to atrioventricular conductance disturbances or to peripartal cardiomyopathy which is a known complication of pregnancy. .
Did you perform a cardiac ultrasound besides the ECG?
I would like to directly review your ECG if you can upload it for a second medical opinion.
I would also recommend performing a cardiac ultrasound ( if you have not performed one) to examine your cardiac function and exclude possible cardiomyopathy.
An ambulatory 24 to 48 hours ECG monitoring is necessary to examine your heart rhythm trends during a prolonged period of time and rule out possible more severe conductance disorders besides RBBB (like atrioventricular block ).
Some other lab tests are also needed (thyroid hormone levels, kidney and liver function tests).
You should consult with a cardiologist for the cardiac ultrasound and Holter monitoring.
I would be happy to review all your tests reports for another professional opinion.
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would recommend as follows :
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I carefully passed through your question and would explain that your symptoms could be related to atrioventricular conductance disturbances or to peripartal cardiomyopathy which is a known complication of pregnancy. .
Did you perform a cardiac ultrasound besides the ECG?
I would like to directly review your ECG if you can upload it for a second medical opinion.
I would also recommend performing a cardiac ultrasound ( if you have not performed one) to examine your cardiac function and exclude possible cardiomyopathy.
An ambulatory 24 to 48 hours ECG monitoring is necessary to examine your heart rhythm trends during a prolonged period of time and rule out possible more severe conductance disorders besides RBBB (like atrioventricular block ).
Some other lab tests are also needed (thyroid hormone levels, kidney and liver function tests).
You should consult with a cardiologist for the cardiac ultrasound and Holter monitoring.
I would be happy to review all your tests reports for another professional opinion.
Feel free to ask me again whenever you need!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi, yesterday I went to a regular hospital that isn't just a obgyn hospital. I went to the hospital hoping to get seen or get in with a cardiologist soon. They performed an EKG and the nurse said it didn't say it was abnormal on the top. I spoke to the ER dr and she said that an incomplete right bundle block is common and not anything to really worry about even after I explained I've had many EKG's and I've never had one say abnormal. They did all my blood work including thyroid, electrolytes, CBC. There main concern with pulmonary embolism so they tested my blood and that was low so they ruled that out. Afterwards they hooked me up to the heart monitor in the room for about an hour. They never saw anything concerning and didn't see any palpitations. So now I'm home I get a few palpitations when I get anxious but other than that I've been ok. I don't get out of breath or winded but when I'm relaxing my heart rate is in the 50's! I just want to be sure that I'm ok.
Brief Answer:
My opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Coming to this point, after confirming that your lab tests have resulted normal, your ECG reveals only an incomplete right bundle branch block (which is not rarely found in normal healthy adults), pulmonary embolism is ruled out and you heart monitoring hasn’t confirmed any abnormal arrhythmic events, it is time to take a deep breath and relieve.
Your cardiovascular conditions seem to be satisfactory as far as no serious abnormalities has been concluded.
Probably frequent episodes of increased anxiety triggered by your new familiar status (sustained sleep deprivation, extended maternal commitment) may lead to such unpleasant feelings like palpitations.
Also, new hormonal balances induced during lactation and potential fluid overload may help triggering hyperdynamic blood circulation and palpitations.
As it is just a transitory condition without any adverse implications in your overall health status you shouldn’t worry about!
You need to carefully control your blood pressure values to make sure that no newly appearing hypertension has emerged after your pregnancy.
Also, discuss with your doctor for scheduling a cardiac ultrasound in order to review more exactly the overall cardiac performance.
Meanwhile, try to relax and enjoy your baby sweetness!
Wishing you are having a pleasant weekend!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
My opinion as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
Coming to this point, after confirming that your lab tests have resulted normal, your ECG reveals only an incomplete right bundle branch block (which is not rarely found in normal healthy adults), pulmonary embolism is ruled out and you heart monitoring hasn’t confirmed any abnormal arrhythmic events, it is time to take a deep breath and relieve.
Your cardiovascular conditions seem to be satisfactory as far as no serious abnormalities has been concluded.
Probably frequent episodes of increased anxiety triggered by your new familiar status (sustained sleep deprivation, extended maternal commitment) may lead to such unpleasant feelings like palpitations.
Also, new hormonal balances induced during lactation and potential fluid overload may help triggering hyperdynamic blood circulation and palpitations.
As it is just a transitory condition without any adverse implications in your overall health status you shouldn’t worry about!
You need to carefully control your blood pressure values to make sure that no newly appearing hypertension has emerged after your pregnancy.
Also, discuss with your doctor for scheduling a cardiac ultrasound in order to review more exactly the overall cardiac performance.
Meanwhile, try to relax and enjoy your baby sweetness!
Wishing you are having a pleasant weekend!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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