Fast Heartbeat

I am a 42 year old female in good health.  I have had my heart checked out (ep study) because of a lot weird things going on and they caught short runs of v-tach (on a holter monitor) and because of a normal heart they say not to worry about it.  Does that sound normal?  Everything I have read elsewhere says v-tach is a deadly thing.  The ep doctor thought it was no big deal because I guess my heart wouldn't do anything weird while I was having the study.

Does it sound normal to be just laying in bed and all of a sudden my heart goes really fast for about 8 - 10 beats and then does a big thud?  Would you say that is v-tach?  I feel kind of strange when it happens but it always seems to stop on its own with the thud.  

I also get quite a few palpitations.  I sometimes get them two or three times a minute where it feels like it drops and give me a weird sensation.  Is that what most people feel?  

It just really concerns me becuase I have asked all of my friends if they feel weird things going on in the heart and they say no that it beats normal all of the time.  Do you think they get the weird things and just don't feel it?  I can't believe that they would not feel strange things like that.

Thank you for your time and answer.

Regards,

Carrie

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Carrie,

Thanks for the post.

Q1:"Does that sound normal?"
In short, Yes.  Non-sustained VT in someone with an otherwise normal heart does not carry an adverse prognosis.  VT can certainly be dangerous in patients with structural heart disease, such as after a heart attack -- this is probably what you were reading about.

Q2:"Is that what most people feel?"
I encourage you to read through some of the posts on this site regarding PVCs.  People use all sorts of descriptions to describe their palpitations: "a rolling boil", "ping-pong match", and "heart explosion" are some of the more memorable descriptions that I've encountered.

Q3:"Do you think they get the weird things and just don't feel it?"
Not only do I think that "they get the weird things", I know it.  Several studies have demonstrated that healthy persons without symptoms frequently have extra beats (PVCs and PACs).  Why some feel them and others don't is anyone's guess.

Hope that helps.

[Squimsy]

Fred

Based on the new findings that PVCs are in fact dangerous, then it would be logical that runs such as NSVT would multiply that threat.

One thing that doesn't make sense to me is that if a characteristic of Chronic A-Fib is that the rhythm is irregular for hours at a time, or even perminantly, why is clotting causing a stroke considered the biggest threat from this condition rather than the erratic rhythm? and then surely if a heart can beat irregularly all of the time with little extra threat then is it not reasonable that the heart should be able to tolerate occasional palpitation?

Sq

[Dr. Erik]

If short runs of V-tach are not harmful in a normal heart, then PVC's cannot be harmful in a normal heart. V-tach is in fact a run of consecutive PVC's.

[Sondra Elmore]

Hello.  I've not been in the forum lately, but am curious what is all the controversy regarding PVC's.  I've been told after holters and Echo's that I have benign PVC's.  I also notice them sometimes after exercise?  My cardiologist at the University of Florida says they are of no consequence?

[steve1167]

I've been recently diagnosed with benign PAC's, is there a difference in the relative danger between PAC's and PVC's?

[valger]

I kind of thought that PAC's were totally harmless, and that PVC's can be benign, but not quite as benign as PAC's.  I guess because PAC's originate in the upper part of your heart, and PVC's are on the bottom.  When I have a PAC, which I don't think is very often, you can feel those more in your throat, and can take your breath.  The PVC's are usually felt much lower down, even like in the upper abdomen.  I get thousands of PVC's per day, and the doctors don't seem too concerned.  I am due for an echo, so I go in for that soon.  The thing I was wondering about, is I noticed tonight as I was taking my pulse, to see how many I was having, is that I was having a PVC exactly every five beats, for the longest time, and I was wondering if that could be significant.  This went on for quite a while, it was exactly each fifth beat, I would have the pause, and then the harder beat which comes with a PVC, until finally I had one on the seventh beat.  Anyway, I was just wondering if any of you had experienced anything like this.  I have gotten so used to having so many per day, but I still feel all of them.  Well, good luck to you guys, and thanks for the help!!  Val

[steve1167]

Thanks for your comments.  This website has been a huge comfort in these scary times.  I didn't really know the difference between PAC's and PVC's and now I believe I do, thanks!

My first experience with my PAC's came about 3 weeks ago now, I had a bout of about 30 one night and got scared and called my doc, he said not to worry.  Then a few days later I had a bout that was somewhere between 100-150, occuring in runs up to 10 at a time.  I got scared and went to the ER.  They caught them on an EKG and did a blood test which was normal, gave me the benign schpeal (sp) and sent me off for a cardiologist appt.  Before meeting with the cardiologist I did wear a 24hr holter.  Al the while I'm having good days and bad, a good day being only 30ish felt all day, a bad day being over 200 felt.  The day I wore the holter was bad, but I was glad, it caught on tape so to speak.  After that day they seemed to have waned.  I met with my cardiologist and she believes that my heart is ok, will have echo to be 100% sure.  She also believes that it is most likely stress and has told me to get back into my exercise routines.  (I was exercising regularly for 8 years and stopped completely 3 months ago due to job change and logistics).  I did get a prescription for Xanax and when I was having them it help me calm down which then shortened the cycle.  I've gone two days now and think I've only felt three the hole time.  I'm back exercising and feel good. (Knock on wood).  

As far as having lots of them, It freaks me out and the Xanax really helped.  I was taking .5mg during the daytime attacks and 1mg at night if they were bad.  I am also going to get into some form of meditation as well as my exercise.

Also, mt Cardiologist gave me atenolol but I never used it because they have waned.  If they ever return that bad again I will try it.

I think it really is stress relatied in an otherwise healthy person.

Thanks to all!!

[heartdancer]

My daughter who is 20 has been having problems with runs of rapid heartbeat, caught on holter monitor. Rate as high as 160. Went to the dr. today and he says nothing to worry about. Holter showed three runs of sinus tachycardia, and a rare PVC and PAC. The primary care doc is not worried...even though she had a heart rate of 120 at rest in the office today. Says to quit smoking, caffeine, and drink more water. She has stopped caffeine but it has not helped. She is still smoking though. Dr. said he would talk to the cardiologist and see if they think any more testing needs to be done, such as an echo. I am VERY worried about this. It cannot be normal for this to be happening with her heart every single day. Is it dangerous? By the way, these episodes do not scare her at all, which is a good thing I guess. I have had PVC's my whole life...I am 47...and they scare the bejeebers out of me although I have learned to live with them. I hope someone can make me feel a little more calm about my daughter. Does she need more testing? Dr. also suggest he could put her on low dose Toprol XL, but she is not sure she wants to take it....any advice?

[heartdancer]

You have helped with your reply. Thank you. :) I know she stays up too late and parties sometimes, along with the smoking and I know these things are not helping the situation at all. She does have a normal pulse rate a lot of the time...it just zooms way up there inappropriately at times, like when she is just sitting watching TV. and it can last over an hour...I am praying hard it is nothing serious....

[pandora9049]

Hi,
I have the same symptoms as your daughter, rapid pulse for no apparent reason, between 100 and 130 bpm.  this sends me into a panic though, and usually to the ER.  Doc says it's anxiey.  I don't believe it though.  Just wanted to post and let you know that she's not alone.  My rapid pulse rate started when I was 19.  It went away for a great while but now it's back w/ a vengeance.  I'm now 30.  I get runs of sinus tachycardia for hours at a time some days.  I wish I could ignore it like your daughter.  
Has she had an echocardiogram done?
Regards,
Pan

[heartdancer]

Dr. called my daughter back yesterday and said he went over and chatted with the cardiologist and went over the holter results and the cardiologist agrees that nothing serious seems to be going on with my daughters heart. Just sinus tach at times with a very occasional PAC and PVC, which he says everyone gets. The runs of tachycardia are not long enough to be considered PAT or PSVT. He advised lifestyle changes and told her if the symptoms become to bothersome she can come in and they will put her on a low dose of Toprol XL to control it. She is reluctant to try the drug unless these episodes start to bother her a lot. The cardiologist feels she does not need an echo at this time and I must admit that does bother me. She has a slight murmur that was discovered when she was about 10 and the cardiologist said it was an innocent murmur...but the dr. heard the murmur slighty yesterday and I would think in light of her latest symptoms anechocardiogram would be a good idea. I am curious what the dr. thinks about this? We all get our medical care at an air force base and you can't demand a test. You get what they want to give you. I guess the reason I am so very worried is because my husband is only 47 and he had a heart atttack late this summer, which required an angioplasty and a stent. He was lucky, suffered no heart damage, but now my kids have a close family history of heart disease. Plus I have had PVC's since I was young so I am a bit of a heart worry wart. I am hoping the dr. can comment on my questions.

[valger]

Hi, it sounds to me like an echo would be a good idea also, just to rule out things, and get a good idea of what is going on.  It's good to get a baseline one anyway with a family history, so that in the future when she gets them, they can compare them.  I have had several of them, and am now due for another since I now have a family history, and also my palpitations have increased a lot.  The thing is, it's good though that she's not nervous about it, so you have to walk a fine line of being thourough, and also not setting her up to be nervous about these later.  Heartbeat disorders like this can be so anxiety driven, that it's really a plus if she learns now not to get too anxious over them, and just be able to deal with them.  This really took me years to do.  I started getting PVC's out of the blue about ten years ago, and when I got my very first one (at least the one that I felt) I was driving home with my kids, and went home and dialed '911'.  The kids went through alot with this.  From there, it was back and forth for years trying to figure out why I was having these.  And, I've gone through so many different stages with these, sometimes disappearing for months at a time, only to come back with a vengence.  Right now, I've been going through a time when I have them every few beats most days.  I used to jump out of my skin when I would get one, and now I just have them all day, and don't jump at all.  They still make me nervous, though, especially if I'm far from home with the kids or something.  Anyway, I do think it's really good for you to be thourough with your daughter, better safe than sorry.  Also, it's important to rule out things like MVP, which can be found on an echo.  I'm nervous about my next echo, cause my Dad passed away a little over a year ago from restrictive cardiomyopathy, and while they say that's not really inherited, it's just scary since he got sick so fast, and was very healthy before.  I do hear, though, how that fast heartbeat thing is very common, especially in young people.  There are things that an echo can really be important for, like checking on the QT wave, which I think is really important in young people.  I hope you can get one, I know it's hard when you have to fight to get a test.  When you do enough research on it, it's like I know what I should be having when I go into the doctor myself.  All I really need him for at this point is to interpret the tests, I know what I should be having.  Just try to insist on it, look up information on the benefits of an echo, write them down, and present them to the doctor.  I am sure she'll be fine, though, try not to worry, what she has is very common.  It really helps to read the other posts on this board.  Good luck!  Val

[heartdancer]

Val,
Thanks for you comments. I am going to try hard to get an echo for her. I really wish I could get the doctors comments to my questions. I have been trying for quite a few days to post a question but never have any luck.

[vants1]

I was just wondering if you can actually die from atrial fib. This is the third time it has happened and for no reason. Well I took cough medicine ...is it possible that did it? The first time they used dig. to lower my rate and took me off I was 28 yrs. The second time I was sitting at work no stress or anything two years ago I am now 38 yrs. Should I start worrying since it is getting more frequent?

[heartsprinter]

Hi, I'm a 23 year old male martial art athlete.  I'm 5'10" 220 pounds and pretty solid.  Aout 3 days ago I got a case of the flu.  With the usual flu symptoms.  The 3rd day of the flu I feel my pulse is faster than ormal.  A constant 109-115 BPM. worrying or anxiety only seems to make it faster. Is this normal.
Is this rate fast enough to make your heart explode..

[bugzy]

Heartsprinter:

My heart rate was 240 at the ER one time.  Your heart is not going to explode.  A rapid heart rate can also be caused by  fever, which you probably had if you had the flu.

[Tootles]

I am 61, female, don't smoke and I excercize regulary.  For the past 4 months or so my pulse rate has been at a steady 104 per minute.  I feel this is stress related (tough 2 years) but knowing this does not help me get it under control.  It is wearing me out. I have had a couple of tests which came back normal --EKg was one of them I think.  My doctor gave me Toprol XL but I am afraid to take it. Sounds radical to take a pill that can slow my heartbeat down.  What if my heart slows of its own accord?  Will that double the slowdown rate if I am taking the Toprol?

[pjamas]

Tootles, have you had your Thyroid hormone checked? A sustained elevated heartrate is classic for Graves disease.  Mine was around 104 for 4 months until a doc noticed that my T3/T4 was abnormal (duh!)  "Oh, we've made a mistake!"  If you also have sleeplessness, tremors, weightloss or overeating, and a medley of other symptoms from hair falling out to GI troubles, you probably have hyperthyroidism.  The problem is, even though I was in "crisis" the internal medicine docs thought I was just nuts because I looked OK.  They wanted to feed me tranquilizers.  The problem with the T3/T4 is that with hyperthyroidism it can fluctuate radically.  I would be having terrible symptoms, get the T3/T4 checked the next day when the symptoms had slacked off a bit, and the T3/T4 would be normal (OR the lab was lousy). If you can possibly do so, see an endocrinologist for a physical exam.  Even without the T3/T4 they can tell by physical exam.