effect of anxiety on ekg

[lisaloo820]

i saw my doctor yesterday for a pre-op physical.  i'm having cataract surgery.  she told me my ekg showed non-specific abnormalities and is sending me for a stress test and echo test.  i have panic attacks at doctor's appointments and my pressure goes way up.  she told me this was not what affected my ekg.  that doesn't make sense to me.  she will not okay my surgery (which is not even major surgery, just local anastesia) until i get this checked out.  is she being overly cautious?  shouldn't she re-take the ekg to check for accuracy? don't they monitor me when i'm having the surgery anyway?  now i am even more anxious because i have to get these tests.  please advise.  

[RCA7591]

Hyperventilation (a secondary presenting feature of a typical panic attack) can alter an ECG tracing. Most notably are non-specific ST-T wave changes, flat or inverted T-waves in the inferior leads, sinus tachycardia, and prolongation of the QT interval. Such changes are transient and dissapear upon termination of the "attack".

The cardiac work-up is indicated just to be on the safe side. However, the majority of the population will have some type of abnormality show up on an ECG, and I wouldn't dwell over non-specific findings, as they are just that - non-specific.

-Ryan

[Jenn627]

I had the same thing happen to me at my check up. I started having panic attacks at the doctor's after I had my children - suddenly I started worrying that there would be something wrong with me and I would leave my children without a mother. Nonetheless, my last ekg was abnormal given my rapid heart rate and rapid breathing but my doctor said perfectly normal for someone having a major attack in the office. He, too, prescribed a stress test if I chose to do one, just as a precaution. Your doctor also sounds like he is being on the safe side.

Hang in there and I wish you well. Would love to know how you cope with your anxiety at the doctor's office because it is having a negative affect on me getting regular check-ups. I am now undergoing hypnotherapy to try and cope and deal with things.

Take care!