Patient Discussions: Heart Rhythm Disorders - Type of Disorder - Viewers Share Their Medical Experiences on MedicineNet

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February 10, 2012

Patient Discussions: Heart Rhythm Disorders - Type of Disorder

Question:Please describe what type of heart rhythm disorder you have.

Comment from: nanafrog07, 19-24 Female (Caregiver) Published: January 09

My daughter is 19 years old. About six months ago, she developed severe chest pain with palpitations. She was admitted to the hospital. Her heart rate remained between 130 and 160 for four days. She had a normal echo, normal EKGs and normal lab results. She was sent home on Toprol and has continued to have a rapid heart rate in the 90s to low 100s with activity. She also continues to have chest pain. She has been told it is stress, but she says she does not feel stressed. We had a stress test done and are waiting on the results, but she says the doctor who performed the test told her she was not active enough. She is a non-smoker, non drinker, no caffenine, young woman. She had no health issues before this.

Related Reading: chest pain | palpitations | stress

Comment from: renee, 45-54 Female (Patient) Published: July 14

I am 45 years old. Many years ago, a doctor caught an irregular heartbeat on one of my prenatal visits. Nothing ever came of it because they could never catch it again, even after hooking me up to electrodes and wires and such. (I think they were electrodes.) But over the years, they have come more often and more irregular beats at a time. It is never brought on by anything in particular; it's usually when I am relaxing in the evening. My heart will just start beating really fast for maybe eight seconds, give or take two or three. I have never smoked or done drugs. I do not take any kind of over-the-counter or prescribed drugs on a regular basis. I am usually pretty healthy.

Comment from: James, 19-24 Male (Patient) Published: April 21

I am a 24-year-old male weightlifter. Recently, I developed an abnormal heart beat. My heartbeat will beat normally, and then suddenly delay for a beat, and then go back to a normal beat. I suffer from hypertension stage 1. I have seen my doctor about my concerns. She said that I have a heart murmur; I am already being treated for my hypertension and am getting an EKG tomorrow. I have not been to the gym since I started noticing my condition and am fast gaining back the body fat :( I hope that I can return to the gym soon because my sedentary state can't be helping my condition.

Related Reading: heart murmur

Comment from: redheadnana, 45-54 Female (Patient) Published: March 26

I am 45 years old and went to the hospital twice in the last five months because I thought I was having a heart attack. They gave me nitroglycerin several times both times. This last time, the doctor said that my blood work didn't coincide with what the monitors were telling him. He made sure I would promise that I would call my doctor and make an appointment Monday. (This was early Sunday morning. I woke up in the middle of the night with a heavy chest, difficulty breathing.) They called me Monday. My heart rate is staying 105 to 108 at rest. The doctor wants me to come in twice this week and next week. We will see what we do.

Related Reading: heart attack | nitroglycerin

Comment from: 45-54 Female (Patient) Published: January 09

As of four weeks ago, my heart started palpitating in some unusual ways. I am a 51-year-old healthy woman with no other health problems at this point. I exercise regularly (about four to five times a weeks), and focus on cardio workouts. My heart has been functioning just fine, but with these irregular heart beats seeming to occur more frequently than when I first noticed them, I am beginning to wonder. There is no known heart disease in my family.

Related Reading: heart disease

Comment from: Katherine, 45-54 Female (Patient) Published: October 24

I am an athletic 51 year old with no risk factors for heart disease. I run between 80-100 miles per month and an extremely active. I was rushed to the hospital with severe chest pain and pressure. After about 1 hour and just one blood series, I was sent home with a recommendation to see a cardiologist soon. However, I had a heart attack the next morning and was once again rushed to the hospital. The enzymes support the heart attack diagnosis. The cardio catheter showed "pristine arteries" with the exception of one very small artery at the back of the heart. The cardiologist was baffled. Before the heart attack my heart rate was normally around 50 and my blood pressure was normally around 95 over 60. After the heart attack I was put on a usual cardiac protocol med diet (plavix, low dose aspirin, and norvasc). Now, five weeks later my blood pressure is running about 125 over 70 and I am having heart palpitations. Sometimes my heart beats with such force I think it might jump out of my chest. The rate doesn't seem to be greater, just the force level. The latest EKG indicates "no heart damage" and I have been told that I can run "as much as I want".


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Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders) - Treatments Question: How was your heart rhythm disorder treated?

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Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders)

Shock facts

  • Shock is a life-threatening medical condition and is a medical emergency. If shock is suspected call 911 or get to an emergency department immediately.
  • The main symptom of shock is low blood pressure. Other symptoms include rapid, shallow breathing; cold, clammy skin; rapid, weak pulse; dizziness, fainting, or weakness.
  • There are several types of shock: septic shock caused by bacteria, anaphylactic shock caused by hypersensitivity or allergic reaction, cardiogenic shock from heart damage, hypovolemic shock from blood or fluid loss, and neurogenic shock from spinal cord trauma.
  • Treatment for shock depends on the cause. Tests will determine the cause and severity. Usually IV fluids are administered in addition to medications that raise blood pressure.
    • Septic shock is treated with antibiotics and fluids.
    • Anaphylactic shock is treated with diphenhydramine (Benad...

Read the Shock (Medical) article »




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