Phantom Heart Rhythmn

[HAH6996]

I heard that there is a phantom heart rythmn that appears on the monitor but the patient has no pulse.  Is this true and why does this happen?  Are there any theories or research to back this up?  Have you ever seen this in a patient?

Thank you
Heather

[AtFibRookie]

Thanks for the thoughts - they are much appeciated and I will discuss what you have provided with my doc later this week.

It's an "overlaod" of info thing right now - too much to put together to truly understand what has really happened. However, I am married to a very bright nurse who has an "in" with the medical peeps in our area and she too tells me that it is a "liveable" situation. Easy to say since it didn't happen to her (lol). However, I live by the addage that if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and I shall be back to my jogging routine (I had been doing 2mi/day up to this bout) and usual activities.

This is the era of info and I am trying to get as much as I can to relate what has happened and what impact it will have on my quality of life.

Once again, thanks for your time hankstar!

Dennis

[AtFibRookie]

Hi everyone and let me tell you how much easier it is to understand what I went though this last Wednesday by reading your posts. I am a 47 year old male, in good health, run 2 miles/day when work allows me to and then - whamo bammo, rushed to emerg with a crazy heart beat and lots of flutters. I've had this before but have always been able to "convert" on my own, not this time. I was given amiodarone and within an hour and a half had stabilized things. Stayed in the hospital for a couple of days of monitoring which showed no damage to heart, normal sinus rhythum, elevated mild hyper-tension. Doc put me on 40mg of Sotolol 2x/day, a baby aspirin/day - will be having an echcardiogram early next week and at my follow up visit in 7 days we will discuss the results of my thyroid blood work as well as start medication for my bp of 150/97.

How have you all lived with this - I'm scared to do anything, want to quit work (I'm fortunate to have long care $), afraid to drive my car, which is my life, afraid to have sex and yada, yada,yada.

Is there hope?Has anyone had good success with treatment?

This site is a good thing - I now am aware this is not just a "you" problem.

Dennis

[wilson-wilson]

I'd sure tell your doctor about your heart beats of only "low 50,s"!  It's called, Bradycardia

Bradycardia: A slow heart rate, usually defined as less than 60 beats per minute.

The word bradycardia is logically derived from two Greek roots: bradys, slow + cardia, heart = slow heart


wilson-wilson

[Wayne Monaghan]

Was taking 300 mg of Rythmol twice a day. Then out of the blue I started having more PVC's than ever. Especially when working hard or walking. Sometimes it would overide itself until it slowed back down. So I took a chance and cut my Rythmol dosage to 150mg twice a day. Now I sometimes can go the whole day without any PVC's. But in return I have noticed an increase in what I call my heart trying to run on me. It beats extremely fast for about 5 seconds then goes back to normal. I have also been awaken in the middle of the night with these episodes. I also take 50mg of Tenormin twice a day for High blood pressure. Was cutting back on my Rythmol a bad idea and can this cause my increase of arythmia's? My heart rate I also noticed when rested is in the low 50's. Can arythmias occure due to a slow heart rate? Maybe if I went back to 300mg of Rythmol my PVC's will return and I could be rid of the arythmia's. I'm a 41 yr old white male........6'3 259 and confused as well as scared. Have a new cardiologist but won't see him for 3 weeks. The arythmia's are really bothering me. Affraid of sudden death I suppose. ANY help from ANYBODY would be great...........Thankyou.......Wayne

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear Heather,
Perhaps from a phantom patient?  I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to.  There are medical conditions where there is electrical activity of the heart but no mechanical or pumping activity and therefore no pulse.  This is known as "electrical-mechanical dissociation" or "EMD".  This is an emergency condition that is not infrequently encountered in critically ill persons in the hospital and by paramedics in the field.  Causes for EMD include electrolytes grossly out of line, end stage heart failure, severe dehydration, fluid collection around the heart and acid-base disorders.  I personally have seen this condition on several occasions, usually in those patients who are close to dying.