Stress and abnormal ekg results

[misstrinidad]

If someone (female) is under stress couls this alter an ekg result to slightly abnormal, showing possibe past heart attack?

[br2509]

I am not a Doc EKG to show alot of stuff that is going on with your heart but i don't think it will show up having a heart attack or passed heart attack but i don't know because i am not a Doc.I would either go get another EKG ran and see what happens or i would go to my Doc and get double checked....Thats just my opinion

[Cherie762]

i was writting the poster not you, in both cases, if you read yesterdays post youll see she wrote me a rather nice letter thanking me, Im not trying to step on your toes. You first told me that I was not a doctor well, Im not insane either I know that, there are a tremendous amount of people who have bast knowledge about medicine and health who are not doctors, do you really think this is fair to Misstrinidad and the poster yesterday who wnated help with xanax, and actually all she wanted was reassurance she already knew what to do , this is not about you or me, its about helping people, and Im not going to answer every post with gee you better ask your doctor, if thats what they wanted they wouldnt post here, doctors often dont  esplain things in terms people can understand, and  you have threatened me more than once that Im gonna get in trouble, I know Hippa laws inside and out, and I dont appreciate that. skip around a bit out of this forum you will see that most people use medical terminology, suggest meds, herbs, therapys, vitamins, what type of dr they think people should see, what else would one do on a MEDICAL Forum???????

[Cherie762]

I dont know your background, but im not critising you, you are me. Im certain that ,you are educated, you talked about being a student, I wished you well with your studies, we never stop learning, I take inservices all the time, dont you think its a little pompous for you to tell me I obviously know nothing of an ekg?? this posters question wasnt clearly written , but I admit when I make a mistake, I am right about this being stressed while having an ekg done will raise you blood pressure and heart rate, you may even develop an abnormal pattern, possibly even skip beats BUT you can not change any past damage due to nerves at the time of the test.  btw---what does it matter if your moms a  psychiatrist ( good proffesion ) I just dont see the relavacy,

[kalmkidd]

not a problem i just don't agree with some of your post. and i have been here MANY YRS giving advice.. so you don't know my background either. all i stated is you should watch your step your not a doctor and should not be telling people how and when to stop medications etc, and you don't know my educational or medical background neither, to eb telling me to ''keep studying''.. my mother is a board certified PHD Psychiatrist, and im very close to being a therapist i think i know what im saying as you think you know you.

[Cherie762]

your welcome to go to my home page and read all of my posts, I have helped a lot of people, I would never do anything like give out my home phone number or email adress to help people, I do everthing right out in the open and unti; I met you I have recieved nothing but good wishes and thanks,

[Cherie762]

I also agreed with you, I took the posters question to be if I am nervous at the time of the ekg could that nervousness make a false positive for a past problem. My answer was no. stress can increase your bp and hr but no current stress can change something that happened in the past I stand by my advice, women die from heart problems at an incresingly alarming rate in our country, she should see her doctor have it furture explained and see about any more possible tests, obviously shes concerned or she woul not have written. Like a lot of posters her question could have been a little clearer, I hope sje does go to her dr and follow up.

[Cherie762]

it seems that the question is if she was under stress at the tome of the ekg, would it possibly show a false mi from the past.
Shawn you dont like to be insulted yet you continually insult me, you dont know my level of education, how many ekgs I have assisted with, how many I have asked questions about. what college degrees I have, what my medical specialties are, I am not a student , I am a professional, I have  very good judgemnet that comes with age. and years of working in a medical enviorment.Do I make mistakes yes, am U perfect no, would I ever pick on someone on the MH space, no, I am trying to pay it forward and help people. You(in writting  were angry and said dont I ever judge you knowledge) I reported you for that, I have done nothing wrong Shawn, I think sometimes people need  more than one opinion on this forum, they can take bits and pieces and do with it what they choose . I know exactly what a ekg, eeg, cat scan mri, pulsox, o2 monitor, feeding tubes, foleys, and many many more things are because i take care of patients in a post acute trauma unit. It is always better safe than sorry,Doctors  vary from really excellent ones that I WOULD TRUST MY LIFE WITH TO ONES i WOULDNT LET TAKE OUT A SPLINTER,

[kalmkidd]

correct yes i didnt read full first post lol.

[RubyWitch]

I don't want to get into a semantics arguement with you, but if you read my answer again, I think you will see that we actually, more or less, agree with each other.
I said that an EKG WILL show up past damage, (and I used a MI as an example) but that the damage does NOT always mean it WAS an MI that caused it. If there is a question about the cause of the heart damage, blood work will show heart enzymes that prove an MI has taken place.
GL  

[RubyWitch]

Mia Culpa!
I knew just as I hit the Post Comment button, I should have done a bit more checking of my facts. I sincerly apologize for that.  
I looked up this question on a Heart Forum not related to MH. It is moderated by cardiologists and this is the information, word for word, that I found relating directly to this question.


And I hope that this will take away any demerits I earned from my bum answer!
Sorry everyone..............
Greenlydia

[kalmkidd]

greenlydia sorry to inform you but if you had a heart attack in the past it COMES UP on any EKG by the way your heart is reacting..

[RubyWitch]

An EKG will show what your heart is doing AT THE TIME OF THE TEST. If you are having a heart attack during the test, naturally that will show up. If you had an MI that damaged your heart in the past, the damage will show up, but it will NOT automatically mean it was an MI that caused the damage. Stress WILL alter the results. The doctor who read these EKG results would have referred you to a cardiologist IMMEDIATELY if he was concerned about the "slightly abnormal" results. And I would hope that he knew you were under stress at the time of the test. You will need blood work to confirm a past MI, which will show if there are cardiac enzymes in your blood. Since the doctor who read this report saw no reason to send you for this test, or to a cardiologist, I would assume that an MI was NOT suspected. Since you are concerned, another visit with your doctor to go over the test results again is called for as would you questioning if a cardiac work up would be in your best interest. And remember that it is your right to request a referral just as it's your right to aquire a second opinion.
You might find it helpful as well as reassuring to hop over to the Heart Forum and ask the good folks over there for their opinion.
Let us know how you're doing and write any time, we're always open!
Peace
Greenlydia

[kalmkidd]

cherie it seems ur unaware of a ekg. but it doesnt only show current heart motion it shows past as well. so its very possible that it could have been something past or just stress you nore i are qualified to look into it.. it seems u believe your a doctor of some sort.. watch the comments and feedback you give or you may find yourself in trouble.

[Cherie762]

If you where under physical or mental stress and your ekg showed a possible past heart attack, your (then) current state would have nothing to do with the past. so the answer is no. being stressed out during the test would not change that result. You really need to talk to your own personal doctor. Heart attack symptoms are much different in women than they are in men, More women die from their first heart attack than men do, please take this ekg as a warning, I am very suprised your family doctor did not suggest a cardiologist., you will likely need to repeat the test, they may order a 24hr halter moniter and a stress test( this is walking on a tread mill at increasing speeds to get your heart rate up, you will have electrodes on and by law a physician must be in the room)

All of these test will determine what to do next, a ballon caterization, or if you need meds.


/SEE YOUR doctor they should have explained this to you better !!! God Bless--Cherie

[kalmkidd]

ur not in the right forum to ask this question. you need the MD forums.. good luck.