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Palpitations, Stress, Have Sarcoidosis, Ventricular Extrasystoles. Taken Beta Blocker. No Arrhythmia.

Posted on Thu, 21 Jun 2012

Question: hi

i am a 36 yr old male of lebanese descent. i was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in march. i have only lymph node involvement. my lungs are fine, and no other major organ is affected.

2 weeks ago i did a treadmill test to check my heart, and there were no arrhythmias. the test was perfect.

since 3 days ago i am feeling palpitations. i went to the cardiologist and he said i have ventricular extrasystoles.

he gave me a beta blocker and told me i have to undergo a holter test and an ecocardiography. this will be done in 3 days.

i am quite afraid because i keep feeling these palpitations, although i have no other symptom.

currently i have been under extreme levels of stress and depression due to an ongoing divorce.

i am feeling at least 3 or 4 palpitations per minute.

what should i do ??

thank you

Answered by Dr. Prabhakar C Koregol (1 hour later)

Hi,

Thanks for your query.

As you recently had stress test which was normal, your symptoms are likely to be related to stress alone and please manage it effectively. With normal heart feeling of brief episodes of palpitation when ECG shows only ectopics of not any great concern and only requires investigations to make clear everything is fine.

Once you get your report if you have any concerns you can get back to me

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Prabhakar C Koregol (13 hours later)

hi again

i would like to know what parameters are useful to think if ventricular extrasystoles are of any clinical significance ??

for example, if i have 5 or less extrasystoles in one minute is this clinically significant or XXXXXXX ?

or if i have more than 5 every minute ??

thank you

Follow up: Dr. Prabhakar C Koregol (1 hour later)

hi

i also want to know the following:

if my ventricular extrasystoles are stress-induced, does this mean that they will dissappear if i take beta blockers and i treat my anxiety and stress ???

will they go away or will they stay for all my life ???

thank you

Answered by Dr. Prabhakar C Koregol (18 hours later)

Hi,
Thanks for reverting.
Though there are certain criteria when we say ectopics are significant like when they occur at a frequency of more than ten per hour but now we don't believe that this criteria is significant. But if they occur more than 10% time in 24hrs recording, then they are significant. But the single most important factor that decides whether they are XXXXXXX or not is whether your heart is abnormal or normal. You don't need worry if your heart is normal.

Yes, the ventricular premature contractions are stress induced and they will disappear when the stress is relieved but are likely to recur if you get stressed again.

I hope I have answered your query. Please accept my answer if you have no further queries.

Regards.

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli