Artrib Fib?

  : : I'm a 36 yr old male, non-smoker, non-drinker.
  : : I have mod, mod/severe aortic incompetence, and occasionally I have
  : : PVCs and PACs.  I exercise frequently, running 4 miles/day, 5 days/week.
  : : My at rest heart rate is 40 bpm (which is normal for me since the age of
  : : 16.  I've done a lot of long distance running and triathalons in the past)
  : : Question:  Recently I've been experiencing a quivering sensation within
  : : the left side of my chest which lasts only for a few minutes.
  : : I've only noticed this at night when falling asleep, or when waking up.
  : : During these episodes, there are no other symptoms (i.e. light
  : : headeness/shortness of breath) and I do have a regular
  : : pulse/heartrate.  My question is, could this be Atrial Fibrilation?  If not
  : : could this be cause by a heart abnormality, or something completely benign?
  : : Thank You
  : Dear Don:
  : If you are taking your pulse (assuming that you know how to correctly) during these episodes and it is regular, it is unlikely that you are in afib. It could be related to worsening of the valve condition; I suspect that you will eventually need valve surgery and you should be followed periodically (about every 6 months) by a cardiologist. It could also just be muscle spasms of the chest wall.
  : I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
  : If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
  The quivering is roughly 2-3 Hz.  I was unaware that this was a symptom of AI.
  Is this a known symptom of AI?  If it is caused by AI, what is quivering,
  and why?
  Don
Dear Don:
Some people with severe AI report that they feel their ears, neck, throat, or other body parts pulsating. This is due to the wide pulse pressure that AI creates. You should mention your symptoms to your doctor to make sure that they are not anything else.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.