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Low Blood Pressure,PSVT,abnormal T Wave.Heart Attack?
Question: I'm having blood pressure varying between 85/45 and 100/55 this morning. Is it XXXXXXX to go back to sleep with it being that low? I'm afraid its a sign of something more serious like perhaps heart attack. I am hypoglycemic, but my sugar is at 95 right now so ithat's fine. I also have a history of PSVT, but that's not a problem right now. My EKG's are fine with a slightly abnormal T wave. I am concerned that maybe this is a warning of impending heart attack. I was asleep 20 minutes before this reading.
Hello and thank you for your query.
Let me reassure you that your blood pressure readings are not a sign of impending heart attack. The verapamil which you take to keep your heart rhythm under control brings your blood pressure down moderately but the numbers you report are not XXXXXXX Finally, when we are asleep our body including our blood vessels relax and typically the blood pressure will go down to a lower level in the category which you mention 80-90 over 45 to 60.
Lastly, if for some reason you have symptoms of dizziness or change in vision that would be more worrisome but as I stated previously I am not worried at all about you being at risk for a heart attack. Please continue to take your medications as prescribed.
I hope this answer has been informative and adequate for you. Should you have additional concerns, I am available to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr. Galamaga
Let me reassure you that your blood pressure readings are not a sign of impending heart attack. The verapamil which you take to keep your heart rhythm under control brings your blood pressure down moderately but the numbers you report are not XXXXXXX Finally, when we are asleep our body including our blood vessels relax and typically the blood pressure will go down to a lower level in the category which you mention 80-90 over 45 to 60.
Lastly, if for some reason you have symptoms of dizziness or change in vision that would be more worrisome but as I stated previously I am not worried at all about you being at risk for a heart attack. Please continue to take your medications as prescribed.
I hope this answer has been informative and adequate for you. Should you have additional concerns, I am available to address them.
Sincerely,
Dr. Galamaga
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So that I don't worry, what are signs that I'm at risk for heart attack? Sometimes I have chest pain and its indigestion. Sometimes I have left arm pain but it's a muscle. It would put my mind at ease to know the difference between them. I'm a peformer and sometimes after peforming, my heart rate (pluse) stays in the 120s and 130s for 1 1/2-2 1/2 HOURS after I'm resting again when it's usually 75-85.
When I have a PSVT attack my blood pressure goes up to 160/100 and my heart rate 150-175, and that scares me it'll damage my heart.
When I have a low blood sugar attack (when it suddenly drops 65 or below) my blood pressure obviously is low (75/40)... then my body compensates and my pulse shoots to the 130's-140's. Then my blood pressure goes up to 150s/90's.
I can tell the difference betwen the two.
Usually I get a rapid heartbeat/PSVT POST-MEAL. Obviously I usually get the low blood sugar attacks in the middle of the night or when working hard without consuming enough protein.
My this is causing GREAT anxiety and I'd like to put my mind at east about my heart's safety and what kind of risk I'm at.
When I have a PSVT attack my blood pressure goes up to 160/100 and my heart rate 150-175, and that scares me it'll damage my heart.
When I have a low blood sugar attack (when it suddenly drops 65 or below) my blood pressure obviously is low (75/40)... then my body compensates and my pulse shoots to the 130's-140's. Then my blood pressure goes up to 150s/90's.
I can tell the difference betwen the two.
Usually I get a rapid heartbeat/PSVT POST-MEAL. Obviously I usually get the low blood sugar attacks in the middle of the night or when working hard without consuming enough protein.
My this is causing GREAT anxiety and I'd like to put my mind at east about my heart's safety and what kind of risk I'm at.
Hello again and thanks for the followup.
Your risk or heart attack is very very low. Let me again reassure you of this. A purely rapid heart rate is not a sign of a heart attack. It may, however, be a sign that you may need to have your rate controlling medication adjusted or changed. You should discuss this with your cardiologist. There are excellent medications nowadays that provide good rate controll and reduce the risk of recurrent PSVT. There are even some procedures as well that can be done to decrease the frequency of these episodes. These procedures are done by cardiac electrophysiologists.
As for the blood sugar - 65 is still a normal blood sugar but I understand that you do not feel well when it is in this range. Let me suggest that you eat some small meals during the day to keep the supply of calories and glucose more constant in your body. A protein bar or granola bar is an example of one food you could conveniently keep on hand as a source of calories between your larger meals.
Again your risk is very low - try to remind yourself of this continually. I think the more you worry about it the more you can stimulate your central nervous system to generate these episodes of rapid heart rate. Finally you should not be consuming any coffee or caffeinated tea at all - this will again help to decrease the frequency of the episodes you experience.
I again thank you for your query. I am available for followups if needed.
Dr. Galamaga
Your risk or heart attack is very very low. Let me again reassure you of this. A purely rapid heart rate is not a sign of a heart attack. It may, however, be a sign that you may need to have your rate controlling medication adjusted or changed. You should discuss this with your cardiologist. There are excellent medications nowadays that provide good rate controll and reduce the risk of recurrent PSVT. There are even some procedures as well that can be done to decrease the frequency of these episodes. These procedures are done by cardiac electrophysiologists.
As for the blood sugar - 65 is still a normal blood sugar but I understand that you do not feel well when it is in this range. Let me suggest that you eat some small meals during the day to keep the supply of calories and glucose more constant in your body. A protein bar or granola bar is an example of one food you could conveniently keep on hand as a source of calories between your larger meals.
Again your risk is very low - try to remind yourself of this continually. I think the more you worry about it the more you can stimulate your central nervous system to generate these episodes of rapid heart rate. Finally you should not be consuming any coffee or caffeinated tea at all - this will again help to decrease the frequency of the episodes you experience.
I again thank you for your query. I am available for followups if needed.
Dr. Galamaga
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Final follow up is how to safely and responsibily enjoy alcoholic beverages with PSVT and Hypoclycemia. (I do not smoke cigaretes or take drugs).
And what warning signs should I be concerned for heartfailure/attack / cardiac arrest, the difference between indegestion and real chest pain.
And what warning signs should I be concerned for heartfailure/attack / cardiac arrest, the difference between indegestion and real chest pain.
Hello and thanks for the followup.
This is a good question and emphasizes that you are very much interested in maintaining optimal health. As for alcohol, responsible drinking behavior would include consumption of no more than 3 to 4 drinks in an afternoon or evening. Drinking should not be rapid as well. You should minimize intoxication or excessive drinking in short periods of time. This can put a stress on your heart. This is more of a concern for the PSVT than anything else. It should not affect your blood sugar much as well.
As for the warning signs - again this is a concern which I do not think you should worry much about BUT for your information - cardiac chest pain tends to be quite disabling. Cardiac chest pain will bring a patient to his knees, cause significant breathing difficulty, nausea, excessive sweating and severe severe pain which radiates up into the jaw at times or sometimes into the left arm. Cardiac chest pain is commonly worse with physical activity as well. This can be confused with gas pain or acid reflux pain because some of the nerves which are stimulated by indigestion may mimic signs of chest pain. Indigestion tends to be much more mild, relieved with antacids or acid blockers such as omeprazole and is sometimes associated with alot of belching.
I honestly feel you are quite a healthy individual. It is important to pay attention to the heart rate and blood sugar as such but please do not worry so much about heart attack or cardiac arrest - it is simply not a concern and you are at a very low risk for any of that.
Thank you again for the question and the privilege of taking part in discussing your health.
Sincerely,
Dr. Galamaga
This is a good question and emphasizes that you are very much interested in maintaining optimal health. As for alcohol, responsible drinking behavior would include consumption of no more than 3 to 4 drinks in an afternoon or evening. Drinking should not be rapid as well. You should minimize intoxication or excessive drinking in short periods of time. This can put a stress on your heart. This is more of a concern for the PSVT than anything else. It should not affect your blood sugar much as well.
As for the warning signs - again this is a concern which I do not think you should worry much about BUT for your information - cardiac chest pain tends to be quite disabling. Cardiac chest pain will bring a patient to his knees, cause significant breathing difficulty, nausea, excessive sweating and severe severe pain which radiates up into the jaw at times or sometimes into the left arm. Cardiac chest pain is commonly worse with physical activity as well. This can be confused with gas pain or acid reflux pain because some of the nerves which are stimulated by indigestion may mimic signs of chest pain. Indigestion tends to be much more mild, relieved with antacids or acid blockers such as omeprazole and is sometimes associated with alot of belching.
I honestly feel you are quite a healthy individual. It is important to pay attention to the heart rate and blood sugar as such but please do not worry so much about heart attack or cardiac arrest - it is simply not a concern and you are at a very low risk for any of that.
Thank you again for the question and the privilege of taking part in discussing your health.
Sincerely,
Dr. Galamaga
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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