3 replies to this topic

[popsune]

I did a 24 hour holter test. Can anyone help me look at the report and tell me if it is fine? But the test result is stated as mildly abnormal. Thanks.

[Iain]

There's nothing very worrying there. The electrical conduction of your heart seems to be working in the normal manner. You do seem to have spells of a low heart rate - which provided you are not symptomatic at the time - are not particularly worrying. I note the reason this was done was for palpitations - and of course what I don't know is whether your palpitations were occurring during the bradycardic episodes (ie the slow bits). It is possible that your palpitations are simply you being more aware of your heart beat during the bradycardic episodes. One of the things that can happen is that when your rate is low, the heart pumps out a bit more blood on each contraction, which can sometime be felt as a bit of a bump. So in summary
1. Nothing life threatening
2. Some bradycardia - which might account for your symptoms
3. Whether or not you would do something in terms of treatment would depend on whether there was a link between the bradycardia and the symptoms and how troublesome the symptoms are

Iain

[popsune]

Iain, on Nov 27 2008, 09:36 PM, said:

There's nothing very worrying there. The electrical conduction of your heart seems to be working in the normal manner. You do seem to have spells of a low heart rate - which provided you are not symptomatic at the time - are not particularly worrying. I note the reason this was done was for palpitations - and of course what I don't know is whether your palpitations were occurring during the bradycardic episodes (ie the slow bits). It is possible that your palpitations are simply you being more aware of your heart beat during the bradycardic episodes. One of the things that can happen is that when your rate is low, the heart pumps out a bit more blood on each contraction, which can sometime be felt as a bit of a bump. So in summary
1. Nothing life threatening
2. Some bradycardia - which might account for your symptoms
3. Whether or not you would do something in terms of treatment would depend on whether there was a link between the bradycardia and the symptoms and how troublesome the symptoms are

Iain

Thanks! Will there be any potential problems associated with bradycardia?

Is bradycardia brought about by lack of exercise? Is it normal to have bradycardia when sleeping?

Is there any indication of brugada syndrome?

At my age of upper 20s, is it normal to have such a heart rate?

Edited by popsune, 27 November 2008 - 01:50 PM.

[Iain]

Firstly, I have to say I ain't a cardiologist - just a humble GP - so you will probably want to discuss this with an expert!

<<Will there be any potential problems associated with bradycardia?>>

Probably not - symptoms tend to be tiredness, light headedness but it's unlikely, at this sort of rate to do any major damage.

<<is bradycardia brought about by lack of exercise? Is it normal to have bradycardia when sleeping?>>

Classically young fit athletes have bradycardia!

Equally, exercise (whilst doing it!) will speed you up (or ought to) but the more you do the slower the baseline becomes. I could give you a long list of possible causes but most of them you would be aware of from other symptoms. The more likely ones include

* congenital
* hypothyroidism
* hypothermia
* drugs ie medication eg baclofen can do it

Equally, those of us with lesions that can cause autonomic dysreflexia ie T4/5 and above, have, by definition messed up part of our autonomic nervous system - specifically the sympathetic system (which speeds heart rate up).

<<Is there any indication of brugada syndrome?>>

There is nothing there to support the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome BUT my understanding is that a single resting ECG is better at detecting that than an ambulatory ECG. In other words, it isn't the first test you would do if there was something to suggest the diagnosis. So whilst it doesn't support the diagnosis, it doesn't exclude it either.

However, as I say, I'm not a cardiologist and you almost certainly need to talk to one to allay your concerns completely.


Iain