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What Is The Cause Of A Skipped Heartbeat?
Ten days ago my husband had an ECG in preparation for surgery to repair a hernia. Yesterday he went to the hospital to have the surgery. A nurse detected a skipped heartbeat when she took his pulse. The anesthesiologist ordered another bedside ECG which showed an abnormality. The surgery was called off and my husband will now see a cardiologist. I am puzzled. Why did changes occur so quickly over ten days? What causes a skipped heartbeat, which I understand is actually an extra beat? Thanks for your help.
Tue, 18 Mar 2014
Dear Ma'm
Thanks for writing to HCM.
A skipped beat can have many causes. Most commonly it is caused by extra beats or premature contractions. These are common phenomenon occurring two-third of population on any given day. They do not warrant any work up or treatment if there are no symptoms or structural heart disease. Why surgery was postponed because of a single Extra Beat is not clear to me. If the ECG, X-ray and clinical examination is normal in an asymptomatic patient, then it does not warrant any further work-up. These extra beats can occur due to a variety of known causes and reasons not known to medical sciences. Some known reasons are anxiety , stress, thyroid diseases, tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco etc.hope this provides some insight.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
Thanks for writing to HCM.
A skipped beat can have many causes. Most commonly it is caused by extra beats or premature contractions. These are common phenomenon occurring two-third of population on any given day. They do not warrant any work up or treatment if there are no symptoms or structural heart disease. Why surgery was postponed because of a single Extra Beat is not clear to me. If the ECG, X-ray and clinical examination is normal in an asymptomatic patient, then it does not warrant any further work-up. These extra beats can occur due to a variety of known causes and reasons not known to medical sciences. Some known reasons are anxiety , stress, thyroid diseases, tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco etc.hope this provides some insight.
Sincerely
Sukhvinder
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