Suffering From Heart Palpitations. What Treatment Should Be Done?
I am 38 years YYYY@YYYY
Is it likely the palpitations are not serious, they are scary and sometimes it is just a ectopic beat that feels like a massive thud and other times there is a fluttering fast beat felt for a few seconds.
Thankyou
XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist. I read your question with diligence.
What you have described are the symptoms of heart beating out of rhythm that is arrhythmia. Normally, heart beats for about 100,000 times a day (72 x 60 x 24); one percent of these beats can be normally out of rhythm, to a sensitive and more perceptive person, these may be perceived as missed beats and or Palpitation. You have some abnormal beats which you know A further test of Holter may be needed if your ECG suggests or cardiologist feel, wherein 24 recording of ECGs is done by a portable i pod like device to be analyzed by a computer, In normal persons Holter has revealed that at times heart can beat faster rate it can be due to rhythm disorder which can be:
1. Paroxysmal Supra Ventricular Tachycardia (PSVT), comes like a bolt from blue and after few minutes to hours stops as abruptly as it came. Manifests as Palpitation. This is not the symptom you are having.
2. Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia: Similar to above but gradual set in and set off also manifests as palpitation that is not the situation with you.
3. Irregular beats inappropriately timed ventricular or supra ventricular ectopics (Paroxysmal Atrial Ectopics or PAC's) which may manifest as missed beats or at times as palpitation. If ventricular function is normal (as determined by clinical examination, echocardiography or when there is normal ability to perform adequate exercise in form of stress test it is normal) then these ectopics are of not much significance except a little apprehension for the person who perceives them. All of us are exposed to stress, how we react to that is what counts. Once investigated and declared normal heart I assume anxiety will also be alleviated.
Personally, I feel a cardiology consult, where a cardiologist will thoroughly examine you and may plan ultrasound of heart that is echocardiography which would confirm normal structure and function of the heart. . These are needed to find whether remotely, you need any medication or not. By reading your mail I believe, that you have been through that and had been given an advice to which I do not agree. If you are still perceiving anxiety that means you do need treatment howsoever benign disease you might be suffering from.
Most of the symptoms because of arrhythmia are controllable. And most of the arrhythmia (with few exceptions like chronic atrial fibrillation, drug resistant ventricular tachycardia) at times may need something more than drugs. Supra-ventricular arrhythmia can be subjected to ablative therapy, it is almost 99% curative and a painless outpatient procedure which is all you may require.
What you need an electrophysiologist. It is specialization after cardiology. You can find names of the nearest electrophysiologist from google search by putting in words: electrophysiologist cardiology and name of your place, United Kingdom.
If there is further query which you might have I will be most happy to answer. Good Luck.
Regards
With Best Wishes:
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD (Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
Cardiologist and Internist
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