Question:
Abnormal EKG/ Normal Echo??? I have Bradycardia (Irregular Heart Beat)
The surgeon called me yesterday to tell me that I have to see a cardiologist. I have bradycardia (slow beating of the heart)and arrithmyia (irregular heartbeat). Did anyone else have this and go through with surgery? Did you have any complications? I am starting to get worried that there is something really wrong with me. Any information would be greatly appreciated! I am going to see a cardiologist on the 14th.... — NJChick (posted on January 7, 2004)
January 7, 2004
I have congestive heart failure with a ejection fraction of 25%, which
means onlt half of my heart works. My cardiologist advised against having
wls, but my surgeon was willing to operate. Everyhing went okay. You will
probably have to have additional tests, but look at it this way the more
your surgeon knows the better prepared he or she will be.
Surprised when they are operating are bad. You probaly will be okay, they
will adjust your anestesia. I had my surgery oct 1 03 and am down 70
pounds. Good luck
— bransonboy
January 7, 2004
During my pre-op clearance exams, my doctor got an abnormal EKG so sent me
to a cardiologist for an exercise stress test. They initially cleared me
for surgery, then called back and wanted to do an additional eckocardiogram
for some reason. It didn't show anything and I was cleared for surgery.
Initially I was getting pretty annoyed with having to go through all this
testing when I don't even have any heart problems, all I was trying to do
was get medical clearance for surgery. Then my doctor explained they were
just trying to make sure nothing went wrong during surgery (or CYA).
— saltybichon
January 7, 2004
I also had an abnormal EKG, so they ordered a stress test. This also came
back abnormal, so then I had a echocardiograph done with dye. The
cardiologist that read all three of the test said there was nothing
abnormal with the echo and that the EKG and stress test were errored. I
think this is probably the order of testing to rule out any problems. I
was also told that is not abnormal for women to have abnormal heart beats.
Good luck to you.
— Jodi H.
January 7, 2004
I used to work for a cardiology group and here is my thoughts on your
situation. An EKG and and ECHO check for different type problems. An EKG
can detect problems with the electrical conduction of the heart as well as
show 'changes' when there is damage from a heart attack or other 'changes'
when there ischemia, or a possible blockage to an artery. An Echo is an
actual ultrasound of the heart and checks the valves, the heart size and
the amount of muscular function... as noted by a previous poster, the
"ejection fraction" indicates how strong or how weak the heart is
actually pumping when it beats. Bradycardia and arrythmia are 2 seperate
issues... either or both could be caused by an electrical problem or
another type problem. My prediction is they will order a stress test,
possibly with thallium, which is a radioactive substance that shows kind of
a reverse x ray of the heart. Sounds technical I know and it is! There
are many things going on in the heart. Your problems could be minor,
hopefully, or could indicate a bigger problem yet to be found. Another
poster talked about false positives with women, which can happen but
usually show up as ischemic type ekg changes... this is typically caused
by breast movement. I am sorry if this sounds too technical but be sure
when you go to the cardiologist you get them to explain exactly what is
going on. Hopefully it is something minor, or nothing at all. Sometimes
PCP docs will dx problems, not just with the heart but the whole body, and
send patients to specialists only to find that the problem was nothing.
Hopefully this will be you! Anyway, there are a few potential tests they
could order for you, regular stress test, which is just walking on a
treadmill while monitoring the heart.. stress echo, which is a regular
stress test followed immediatly by an echo to see how the valves and muscle
reacts to the stress (exercise) thallium stress test (could be done with
medication that stimulates the heart to beat faster so you don't have to
walk on treadmill) holtor monitor which is a device you wear for 24 hours
which makes a continuous ekg, and lastly, cardiac cath, which is when dye
is injected into a vein in the arm or leg and followed thru the arteries of
the heart to chk for blockages.
I am sorry this is so long but I know how hard it is sometimes to
understand what the doctors are talking about. I hope that this long post
has been helpful in some way! Good luck and I hope and pray your problem
will be nothing and you will be cleared for surgery soon! Pam in GA
— Pam B.
January 7, 2004
Yikes, it's me again! I also wanted to talk about abnormal beats for a
minute. Yes it is very comman to have benign PVC's, which means premature
ventricular contractions. Many people have these who have healthy hearts.
These type abnormal beats can be caused or aggravated by stress, or
caffiene. They can be controlled by meds if they are worrysome. I have
had pvc's for years and need no meds for them. Do you feel the abnormal
beats at all? I can feel mine, and it is very disconcerting! They did
increase for a little while when I was newly post op but I am now nearly 3
mos out and hardly have them at all. There are some other types of
arrythmias that are more problematic. Depends on what is causing them as
to the treatment. Again, hopefully yours will be nothing. It is scary tho
I know. I hope I haven't rambled too much here! Anyway, try not to stress
too much this week till your appointment. Let me know what happens!
Pam in GA
— Pam B.
January 7, 2004
Hi Debra <br>
Sounds like to me the other posters have covered this pretty thoroughly,
but I do want to add just a tad more info. <br>
It is possible that your <i>normal</i> heart rate is just slow.
This happens. I have had problems with arrythmias for years; it was
simply PAC's (premature atrial contractions) which was corrected by giving
up caffeine! <br>
I had a heart attack in 2001 and another one in 2002. I had my lap rny in
2003. My cardiologist felt that loosing the weight was more beneficial
than any risk the surgery would create. My surgeon wanted me to have
cardiac clearance by a cardologist at his facility. I had a persantine
stress test (similar to the thallium test another poster talked about--they
inject the medication which increases the heart rate, etc.) It showed the
area of damage, but the cardologist there also felt I was fine for surgery.
<br>
Please don't get stressed out about this yet. A lot of
"problems" are quite benign; others can be treated easily with
medication. If you <b>do</b> have a heart problem, you're
better off finding it early! There is no reason yet to fear you can not
have your surgery!<br>
Linda rny 6/11/03 301/203/?
— Linda S.
January 7, 2004
Thanks for all the great answers. I'll keep you guys posted!
Debra
— NJChick
January 8, 2004
I had a normal ekg/stress test during pre-op but developed severe
bradycardia at the beginning of my lap RNY surgery. As soon as they put
the gas in to inflate my abdomen, my heart rate fell to 3 beats per minute.
They gave me atropine which immediately brought everything back to normal.
They stopped my surgery and put me in ICU to see a cardiologist. He
couldn't find anything wrong with my heart but said I needed a temporary
pacemaker before they tried the surgery again. My problem was caused by a
sensitive vagal nerve which reacted to the introduction of the carbon
dioxide gas used for lap surgery. I was rescheduled a few weeks later and
they put the pacemaker in the day before surgery. They numbed an area
between my neck and right shoulder and then put a wire in through my vein
to my heart. I was awake during the whole thing - not even a sedative. It
wasn't bad at all. The pacemaker itself was just a small black box with
wires that were attached to the other wire in my chest. They tried to do a
lap RNY again the next day and the same thing started happening with my
heartrate. Fortunately the pacemaker "caught" it and my heart
never slowed down to a dangerous level. They converted to an open RNY with
no further complications. The nurse removed my pacemaker wire the next day
after my barium swallow confirmed I didn't need any further surgery. My
doctors told me that I shouldn't have abdominal lap surgery in the future
due the the gas/nerve problem. I haven't had any further problems with my
heartrate and am doing great since my surgery in Sept. 2003. Although it
sounds scary, having a pacemaker put in is not as bad as it sounds. When I
first found out, I was more afraid of having the pacemaker than of having
the RNY. If they determine that a pacemaker is necessary to allow you to
have the surgery, then go ahead and do it. The risks of staying morbidly
obese often far outweigh the risks associated with having this surgery. Go
ahead and see the cardiologist and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Congratulations on you decision and good luck.
— etaylor58
April 24, 2004
I don't really have an answer - I just wanted to thank you guys for this
posting. I'm nine months post-op and get dizzy/fainting spells and my
doctor performed an EKG which came back abnormal, so I'm scheduled for an
echocardiogram on Monday. I had no idea what any of it meant and thought I
must have had heart attacks or something. Good to be able to come on here
and find out from other "patients" that it really could be
anything (and my doctor wasn't trying to pacify me by saying it could be
nothing to worry about!). Thanks again.
— deanaferrari
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