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Experienced Strange Heart Palpitation. Pre Diabetic, Feeling Ill And Weak. Took Ventaflaxine And Metformin. Should I Be Worried?
Question: I experienced a strange heart palpitation recently. It only lasted a few seconds, but left me feeling ill and weak. This is nothing like too much caffeine as I have experienced many times. I am 72, 170 lbs, prediabetic, take Ventaflaxine 37.5 mg., one Metformin a day. Family history of heart problems at early ages, one sister and brother died of heart attacks at 56, one sister had heart problems all her life, and died at 79, another brother died of heartfailure after pneumonia at 81.
Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic
It is difficult to conclude from this description alone.../ The first step is to see a Cardiologist / Irregular heart beats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG). / Standard ECG records the electrical activity of the heart, for a few seconds. It can detect the arrhythmia occurring during that time only. If the episode occurs randomly, one needs Holter or event monitor.
ECHOcardiogram is necessary to see the heart valves (muscle (Cardiomyopathy) and heart function (Ejection fraction, wall motion abnormality) / clots...
TMT – Treadmill exercise ECG; may be with thallium isotope – is necessary to evaluate ischemia (reduced blood flow / Coronary Artery Disease)
If there are no clues and if the problem is still bothering to the extent of interfering with life style, you may need Electro Physiological Studies (EPS) > it resembles angio – a catheter is put inside the heart / electrical activity recorded / stimulation and suppression tests are carried out / suitable medicine tested and so on. Though the test is the gold standard, it is INVASIVE and is not generally done unless there are compelling indications. This super-speciality expert is called ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGIST. There are other advanced treatment modalities - like ablation (thermal or radio-frequency), which could be done during EPS.
See your cardiologist / The treating doctor may suggest depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
Welcome to Health Care Magic
It is difficult to conclude from this description alone.../ The first step is to see a Cardiologist / Irregular heart beats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG). / Standard ECG records the electrical activity of the heart, for a few seconds. It can detect the arrhythmia occurring during that time only. If the episode occurs randomly, one needs Holter or event monitor.
ECHOcardiogram is necessary to see the heart valves (muscle (Cardiomyopathy) and heart function (Ejection fraction, wall motion abnormality) / clots...
TMT – Treadmill exercise ECG; may be with thallium isotope – is necessary to evaluate ischemia (reduced blood flow / Coronary Artery Disease)
If there are no clues and if the problem is still bothering to the extent of interfering with life style, you may need Electro Physiological Studies (EPS) > it resembles angio – a catheter is put inside the heart / electrical activity recorded / stimulation and suppression tests are carried out / suitable medicine tested and so on. Though the test is the gold standard, it is INVASIVE and is not generally done unless there are compelling indications. This super-speciality expert is called ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGIST. There are other advanced treatment modalities - like ablation (thermal or radio-frequency), which could be done during EPS.
See your cardiologist / The treating doctor may suggest depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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