Acid Reflux, Gas, and the Heart

[John__0__0]

  I've read the postings on GERD and arrythmias, and am amazed and relieved that I'm not the only one who's noticed a correlation.  Let me give a brief history of my symptoms:
  For the past 5 years(I'm 31 now), I have suffered from "skipped heart beats".  When I first went to the doctor, I told him that these "skips" were almost always associated with gas(9 times out of 10).  I told him that the act of belching seemed to relieve the symptoms, and I asked if gas pressing against the heart could be causing the problem.  He looked at me kinda funny and said he'd never heard of such a thing.  Anyway, I told him that the "skips" were freaking me out, so he put me on a 24 hour Holter Monitor.  Of course, during the next 24 hours, I didn't feel anything.  The results from the test came back normal(sinus rythm normal, etc.)  The Doctor told me there's nothing wrong, this is a normal thing, basically go on with your life.  Okay, fine.  Easier said than done.  Since then, the symptoms have come and gone, sometimes daily, but usually only a few times a week.
  However, they are still associated with gas, and lately, I've noticed an increase in heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux(I often have undigested food coming back into my mouth), especially after eating fast food, but also with healthy foods.  The "skipped beats" are further aggravated when I am playing sports, especially Tennis, where I stop and start and bend over alot.  In fact, bending or stooping over during a tennis match will almost always produce belching and "skips".  It's gotten to the point where I'm even afraid to play.  I don't wish to be too long-winded, but I do have a couple of questions:
  1) How does GERD relate to arrythmias?
  2) Where can I go to get more information?
  I'm going to the doctor in the next few weeks to discuss these things, and get a proper diagnosis on the level of acid reflux I might be suffering from, so any information would be greatly appreciated.
  p.s. Just to let you know, for years I would eat and then lie down right afterwards to take a nap.  Could this have contributed to the reflux symptoms?
  Thanks so much for the forum,
  John      
        
__________
Dear John and other repondents,
The vagis nerve innervates the heart, esophagus, and most of the gastrointestinal tract.  It is suggested that information coming from the gastrointestinal tract can alter cardiac function.  In addition to the information that you have provided in your postings, we know that overdistention of the gut will cause nausea and a slowing of the heart rate.
Before assuming that cardiac symptoms are the result of a gastrointestinal problem, it is absolutely necessary to exclude cardiac disease, because if you miss a crdaic problem you may increase the chance of sudden death.  Once heart diseases have been excluded, the patient and physician can and should focus on other possible explanations.
With regard to lying down after eating, this is considered a lifestyle trait that increases the probability that gastric contents will reflux into the esophagus.
This information is presented for educational purposes only.  always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.
HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: esophageal reflux, cardiac arrythmias
0.3