HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Done EKG And Holter Monitor Test For Blackouts And Pain Above Elbow. History Of Right Bundle Branch Block And Leaky Mitral Valve. Explain?

I am a young looking and healthy looking 59 year old female with a history of a right bundle branch block and leaky mitral valves who was born with this condition, my mother was exposed to fallout from Hanford Nuclear Base, Washington in 1953 and my father worked for Hanford. I recently had an echo with EKG , a 24-hour Holter Monitor , and two part nuclear stress test. They have never seen that type of a heart beat on the echo/EKG before, and on my 24 hour holter monitor test I had 1 ventricular ectopic, 40 supraventricular ectopics and 19 beats of atrial fibrillation . They are still trying to figure out what is wrong with my heart. I often get pounding heart beats, heart flutters, sometimes I get parcial blackouts, and sudden sharp stabbing pain just above my left elbow. My heart has gotten a lot worse in the last 4 years. Can you explain? I have never been to a cardiologist because I don t think they will know what is really wrong with me and prescribe a medication that will stop my heart. I also have arthritis , fibromyalgia, intrastitial systitis, ADHD, and major sleep apnia which has thrown me into pounding heart arrhythmia and stopped me from breathing. Please explain
Fri, 26 Jul 2013
Report Abuse
Cardiologist,  's  Response
Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

     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 or precipitated by a specific activity like exercise, one needs Holter or event monitor
     ECHOcardiogram / TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) / LABORATORY work-up – may all be necessary for further assessment and assistance. 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. The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
     The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
The prognosis is generally good. Discuss with your doctor...

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
I find this answer helpful

 1 user finds this helpful
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Recent questions on Cardiac arrhythmia


Loading Online Doctors....
Done EKG And Holter Monitor Test For Blackouts And Pain Above Elbow. History Of Right Bundle Branch Block And Leaky Mitral Valve. Explain?

Hi friend, Welcome to Health Care Magic 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 or precipitated by a specific activity like exercise, one needs Holter or event monitor ECHOcardiogram / TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) / LABORATORY work-up – may all be necessary for further assessment and assistance. 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. The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation. The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation. The prognosis is generally good. Discuss with your doctor... Take care Wishing speedy recovery God bless Good luck