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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Heart Palpitations?

I have been having heart palpitations for quite sometime and it's getting worse. I also have high blood pressure and heart rate 147/82 h/r 107 I have an appt with my cardio but not for 2 more wks I now am developing a lump like feeling in my chest/esophagus area when I swallow I'm very fatigued but I also have lupus. What do you think could be the cause?
Wed, 16 Jul 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
HI THANKS FOR POSTING YOUR QUERY.
AFTER GOING THROUGH YOUR HISTORY,IT SEEMS QUITE EVIDENT THAT THE HEART AILMENTS IN YOUR CASE COULD ARISE FROM SLE (SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS) AND/OR DRUGS USED TO TREAT IT.
STEROIDS AND IMMUNOSUPPRESENTS ARE USED TO TREAT SLE.
THESE DRUGS ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE HEART RHYTHM DISTURBANCES LEADING TO PALPITATIONS AND ARRYTHMIAS.ALSO SLE CAN DIRECTLY CAUSE "AUTOIMMUNE PERICARDITIS" WHICH CAN CAUSE PALPITATIONS.STEROIDS CAN ALSO CAN CAUSE ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURES.SO ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE IN YOUR CASE NOW IS TO CAREFULLY EVALUATE THE CAUSE AND TREAT IT ACCORDINGLY.
FOLLOWING INVESTIGATIONS WOULD BE OF HELP:2-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY,ECG,AN UPPER GI ENDOSCOPY TO EVALUATE THE THROAT LUMP/SWALLOWING DIFFICULTY-THIS COULD BE AN ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER/SCLEROSIS.
TREATMENT INCLUDES REDOSING THE STEROIDS,DRUGS TO CONTROL PALPITATIONS,ANTIHYPERTENSIVES,PROKINETIC DRUGS TO IMPROVE SWALLOWING WITH OR WITHOUT BOTOX TOXINS INJ., CAN BE USED.CONSIDER AN EXPERT CARDIOLOGIST TO DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEM.A RHEUMATOLOGIST WOULD BE OF HELP.
THANK YOU.
TAKE CARE.
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What Causes Heart Palpitations?

HI THANKS FOR POSTING YOUR QUERY. AFTER GOING THROUGH YOUR HISTORY,IT SEEMS QUITE EVIDENT THAT THE HEART AILMENTS IN YOUR CASE COULD ARISE FROM SLE (SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS) AND/OR DRUGS USED TO TREAT IT. STEROIDS AND IMMUNOSUPPRESENTS ARE USED TO TREAT SLE. THESE DRUGS ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE HEART RHYTHM DISTURBANCES LEADING TO PALPITATIONS AND ARRYTHMIAS.ALSO SLE CAN DIRECTLY CAUSE AUTOIMMUNE PERICARDITIS WHICH CAN CAUSE PALPITATIONS.STEROIDS CAN ALSO CAN CAUSE ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURES.SO ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE IN YOUR CASE NOW IS TO CAREFULLY EVALUATE THE CAUSE AND TREAT IT ACCORDINGLY. FOLLOWING INVESTIGATIONS WOULD BE OF HELP:2-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY,ECG,AN UPPER GI ENDOSCOPY TO EVALUATE THE THROAT LUMP/SWALLOWING DIFFICULTY-THIS COULD BE AN ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY DISORDER/SCLEROSIS. TREATMENT INCLUDES REDOSING THE STEROIDS,DRUGS TO CONTROL PALPITATIONS,ANTIHYPERTENSIVES,PROKINETIC DRUGS TO IMPROVE SWALLOWING WITH OR WITHOUT BOTOX TOXINS INJ., CAN BE USED.CONSIDER AN EXPERT CARDIOLOGIST TO DEAL WITH YOUR PROBLEM.A RHEUMATOLOGIST WOULD BE OF HELP. THANK YOU. TAKE CARE.