ECG abnormal

[Tessa10]

I had a routine ECG for a physical, I don't know what the actual ECG said but my doctor was alarmed and said "Your ventricles are under severe stress". I have had no chest pain, no shortness of breath, BP 108/70 and normal cholesterol.  I am a woman, 52, healthy, fit, active and former light smoker. We thought it was a mistake so I had it repeated and it came back the same.
I am now waiting for an echocardiogram, but stressed about all of this.
I remember I had an ECG in 1994 and I remember going to emergency because I was having heart palpitations. The doctor then told me I was fine and a few PVCs are nothing to worry about.  I assumed he was right. Since 1994 I have gotten heart palpitations when I drink an excess of caffiene and am under stress. However they have been nothing I couldn't contrrol by cutting out the caffiene and reducing stress.

Since I have had the second ECG, I have cut out all caffeine, alcohol and tobacco products and have had no palpitations.
What do you think this is all about?  Do I have anything to worry about with my other tests being normal?
Thank you,
Tessa

[Cleveland Clinic]

Tessa,

Its really impossible to tell what your physician was referring to without seeing the ECG. The ecg should always be taken in the context of the patient, and Ive seen abnormal ECGs in patients with otherwise perfectly normal hearts which were hard to interpret. By under stress, I wonder if he meant that our ECG shown signs of hypertrophy. If this is the case, there are false positives, especially in thin patients.

If ou feel fine, I wouldnt make too much of it. The echo should be helpful in relieveing our worries or at least giving you some answers.

I think we'd all appreciate a follow up once ou have your answers.

Good luck

[heartygirl]

Maybe you should get a copy of the EKG and take it to your primary physician or a cardiologist.  Either doc would be able to tell you what exactly it means, plus help decide what (if any) further tests need to be done.  Good luck.

[Tessa10]

Thank you Heartygirl, I did call for the old ECG and ask them to send it to my doctor. Hopefully she will put the pieces together when she has the results of the echo too.  Such worries.
Tessa

[Tessa10]

I just had an echocardiogram done and it was normal.  I saw the cardiologist and she said my ecg says I have LVH, repeated ecgs show the same thing.  My cholestreol is normal my blood pressure is normal.  How can this be?

She is sending me for a radioisotopes stress test next month.

Obviously whatever problem I have now has recently occured because I have had normal ecgs in the past.

Any ideas?
Many thanks
Tessa10