Wore a heart monitor for 2 wks, due to STV
My report came back 17 pages, my
Doctors not says Patient had a min HR of 42 bpm , max HR of 188 bpm and Ave HR of 73 bpm, predominant underlying rhythm was sinus Rhythm 25 supraventricular tachycardia runs occurred, the run with the fastest interval lasting 15 beats with a max rate of 188 bpm the longest lasting 11.5 seconds with a Avg rate of 136 bpm supraventricular tachycardia was detected with in +/-45 seconds of symptomatic patient events, Isolated SVE were occasional (3.6% 4158s)SVE couples were rare (< 1.07 277) and no triple SVE were present, Isolated VEs were rare (< 1.07) and no VE couplets or VE triplets were present, looking at all 17 pages, i see other things, I have been slowing down more and more, i am short of breath, dizzy, fatigue and sometimes sweating, I have many other medical issues, I am 62 yrs old, at the age of 26, I have a stroke, my heart was 3xs the size of a normal heart, i had a hole in my heart larger then a 50 cents piece, i had open heart surgery and repaired, I was also just diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, in a matter of 2 yrs I went to actively involved with my grandchildren to hardly being able to talk or eat, i am extremely winded, most of the day, I have other issues too, but everytime I go to a specialist they blame my conditions on other conditions and not getting straight answers, i am so frustrated, if anyone could let me know if the summary of the report my doctor, seems to be okay, can you let me know, I was told of my heart rate beating fast the last time I hate a monitor on, a yr ago, the doctor said he could give me medicine, i declined i said what is the worst that could happen, he said you would pass out and maybe bleed to death, I assume since I am on warfain for over 30 yrs, I will be happy to take any advice, with all my other aliment, i could be writing a 12 page essays, , thank you, any advice good or bad, i will accept, at this point, i am so tired, i have already told my doctor's, my body is ready to go,
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Well, you certainly have had challenges. You have ectopy in the upper half of your heart, meaning you get extra beats in one, or both, of the two smaller chambers, the atria (atrium if talking about either one of them).
Everyone has some mild ectopy, but it's typically both unnoticed and doesn't exceed more than perhaps 20-40 beats in a 24 hr period. You results shows runs lasting 10-20 beats at a time. It is good that they self-limit at present. We can't predict how they will evolve or progress over time, or even if they will, but the heavy betting says yes.
Warfarin is generally out of favour for an anti-coagulant when it comes to ectopy. It has its uses, of course, and is still widely used, but the medical community relies much more heavily on the Direct-acting Oral Anti-Coagulants (or DOACs for short). They are apixaban and rivaroxaban, and their respective brand names are Eliquis and Xarelto. I know there are others, but we needn't deal with them here. The DOACs act on a different clotting mechanism than warfarin, so they are a better fit. This is my understanding and what others dealing with this on other forum sites have stated, but I am not an expert or a health care provider.
Your stated 'burden', in the report, is getting up there, and there is a risk of clotting, but I honestly don't know what the difference is between the two forms of ectopy, atrial fibrillation and simple tachycardia. If it's simple tachycardia, it's still normal sinus rhythm, just bloody fast! So, that's good, and the added risk of clotting is low...or so I believe...again, not an expert. But, if it is occasional fibrillation or flutter, the risk goes up and you probably should be on a DOAC. Metoprolol and diltiazem are for 'rate control', meaning to keep the heart from speeding up too much. They do little as anti-arrhythmic drugs. For that, you would want whatever the doctor says is best for you...but it's not strictly his/her call. You get a say in it as well...and you apparently have to this point.
Cardiologists and electrophysiologists (heart rhythm specialists, like super-electricians) use the CHA2DS2-VASc convention or model to assign a risk of clotting to any one patient, and then they prescribe what their formulas and textbooks say to prescribe. You can go to a site like: https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/801/cha2ds2-vasc-score-atrial-fibrillation-stroke-risk and compute your own score....if you are scrupulously honest in what you put in the fields. Even then, you would want to consult your cardiologist about what he/she thinks your score is, and why that number. A score of 2 should be on a DOAC, but not if it's just a high rate in NSR (normal sinus rhythm). And again, that's my understanding. Your care givers may say something else.
Thank you for responding, I have been on warfain, since my first stroke, in 1989, due to blood clots, that got through the large hole in my heart, it also came out that I had anti coagulation lupus, so the rapid heart beat is like 3 yrs now, but now the feeling of dizzy, feeling faint, breaking out in complete sweating, where I have to get my body in a cold shower, right away, and out of breath, I am on oxygen, for 3 yrs, and February was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, I had a 2 and stroke in 2002, and a heart attack, in 2005, and angina, I will see if I can go to the website, and figure out, and get a rate, i appreciate your feedback back, I figure that my cardiologist didn't call with results, and just posted the 17 page report, from the monitoring company, he isn't going to call
Firstly change your anticoagulant. Too many sticks in the arm, if that’s the way they still do, to keep a good iNR. Secondly , enjoy whatever time you have left in this world; since no one seems to know. Big hug
I do my testing at home, and report it, I was running out of veins, and being stuck to many times, so doing it myself is on pinch and easy, Thank you, for reaching out, I tried changing the medicine once and it's side effects were not good, so I rather stick to what my body is use too, and avoid any new medicine, i use to take over 22 pills a day, and i just take what I really need, so down to 6 medicines , i had enough of medication, I will take your advice about enjoying the time I have, and trying to do what I can, thank you, very much
I went to the website and my number is a 6, not good at all, but thank you, very helpful
I suspected as much , ntd62 (I think you may have meant to respond to me, and that you are reporting your own computed CHA2DS2-VASc score?) And that is why you should be on a DOAC. I went through some of what you are going through, including looking askance at the prospect of having to take an anti-coagulant for the rest of my life. Now, seven years later, and in better health, with my atrial fibrillation controlled strictly via a catheter ablation isolation of my pulmonary veins, it's just a fact of life. In fact, my own CHA2DS2 score is a solid '1.0', yet I still take the DOAC because I'm a computer user and sit a lot....at 72 years of age. Quite some risk of DVT, or deep vein thrombosis. I figure I cut my risk of thrombosis taking the DOAC and can live with that insurance and a sip of water.
The DOAC is medicine, sorry not used to all this, thank you for your advice
Agree with you if this is your decision. But there is the problem of some medications loosing its effectiveness during time and of course you seem comfortable the way you got things set up now. However, there are so many new procedures and advances in science now a days that itt seems a shame not to put them to work for anyone
I don't intend to become argumentative about this because you're the one who owns your body and I would always advise people to trust their gut instincts and to look after themselves. However, I would hope that you don't think of a DOAC as 'medicine' per se. It's a prophylaxis, a health aid, that is meant to stave off a potential risk for you. It's not like the risk of a stroke is huge, and I'm begging you to please reconsider...for your own good. But the risk of a stroke during, and after, a run of AF is considered to be six times higher than when not in AF. From there, you have to know what your current risk is given your age and any other conditions/comorbidities that are running through your system.
I am and didn't realize i am on a medicine verapamil 40mg, I know it's not working, because every day is getting harder, but thank you