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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Lyme Disease and Ectopic Supraventricular Tachycardias
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Lyme Disease and Ectopic Supraventricular Tachycardias
by LINDA CAROLEO, Aug 18, 2000 12:00AM
I have had an electrophysiology study and my doctor determined that I have ectopic supraventricular tachycardias, they started 3 years ago (no heart disease) along with high blood pressure (my pressure was always 110/70 before that). I recently went to a GP who decided to test me for lyme. One of the tests (I believe it was "indirect flourecent antibody for lyme") came back positive for lyme spirochites (spelling?). I do not have any of the symptoms of lyme except for the high bp and the arrhythmias. Have you had patients who had lyme with only these symptoms? If so, and if I've had it for at least three years, what are the chances of reversing it if the lyme is treated? Also, I'm in the Northeast, can you recommend any doctors to go to to treat the lyme.
I feel like I'm chasing my tail because lyme is so hard to diagnose and most of my lyme tests (western blot only showed positive for proteins 41 and 58) came back negative. However, if this could be the cause of my arrhythmias I need to find someone to help me.
Also, my arrhythmias are focused in the left chamber of my heart and if I need an ablation I now understand that the EPS doctor can go through an artery instead of a vein and get to the left side. Is that more dangerous than going through the right side and where is this done "a lot"?
Thanks for your help.
Lin
I feel like I'm chasing my tail because lyme is so hard to diagnose and most of my lyme tests (western blot only showed positive for proteins 41 and 58) came back negative. However, if this could be the cause of my arrhythmias I need to find someone to help me.
Also, my arrhythmias are focused in the left chamber of my heart and if I need an ablation I now understand that the EPS doctor can go through an artery instead of a vein and get to the left side. Is that more dangerous than going through the right side and where is this done "a lot"?
Thanks for your help.
Lin
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, MD, Aug 18, 2000 12:00AM
, Aug 18, 2000 12:00AM
Dear Lin,
Lyme does not typically cause supraventricular tachycardias to my knowledge. I suspect this is unrelated to Lyme and is something that can be cured with ablation. I don't know any lyme specialists in the northeast but I'm sure there are as that is where the largest concentration of Lyme is.
Left sided ablations are a bit riskier but in general are pretty safe. You didn't specify where in the Northeast you live but there are many good centers. Dr. Buxton in at Brown university, the Boston area hospitals all have good EP sections. Cornell in New York has a good EP department. In general a University hospital will have the highest level of care.
Lyme does not typically cause supraventricular tachycardias to my knowledge. I suspect this is unrelated to Lyme and is something that can be cured with ablation. I don't know any lyme specialists in the northeast but I'm sure there are as that is where the largest concentration of Lyme is.
Left sided ablations are a bit riskier but in general are pretty safe. You didn't specify where in the Northeast you live but there are many good centers. Dr. Buxton in at Brown university, the Boston area hospitals all have good EP sections. Cornell in New York has a good EP department. In general a University hospital will have the highest level of care.
