Please Help!! I'm Worried.

Posted by nance on June 02, 1999 at 09:10:36
I'm sorry if I'm repeating something that you've answered several times. I don't know what to look for. I'm 39 years old, female, 5' 1" and weigh over 185 pounds -
Grossly overweight, I agree. I have high BP - now around 140/90 after taking medications for this. I've recently started having shortness of
breath/palpitations/coughing. These occur any time of day ( mostly day ) or night and can continue for several hours. I live on the 2nd floor. whenever I climb up the two flights of stairs, I start these episodes. There's a constant feeling of wanting to cough. I don't think I have swelling in my ankles. The cardiologist, I saw, ran EKG and Regular treadmill test. The EKG done prior to the stress, he said showed I was having palpitations. The Stress test tho'was normal, and I did not have any attack during the stress Test. He said they were PVCs and put me on Toprol 25mg/ twice a day. The palpitations continue, accompanied by short pinching pains in the chest. Sometimes my left arm ache. Please help me. Should anymore testing be done, if so what kind. Two years back, I had a chest xray, which said normal PA view. What's a PA view. Should I be worried?? Please help.

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on June 02, 1999 at 14:11:16
Dear Nance
A PA xray just refers to the orientation of the xray picture. The symptoms could be asthma - sometimes coughing and shortness of breath are caused by asthma. Your cardiologist may not be set up to test for this, so you should see your internist or a pulmonologist (a lung doctor).
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. 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.
Posted by nance on June 02, 1999 at 14:25:59
The x-ray was done two years ago, as part of a routine test. I mentioned the xray to see if it meant they suspected cardiac problem even two years ago. They certainly didn't tell me anything. I do not have any lung / wheezing problem now. But please look at my current symptoms and tell me if I should have more tests done. should an echocardiogram be done. i do have high BP and am overweight. Can I exercise, because climbing up two floors ( at a very slow pace ) brings on palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain. Is there something wrong with my heart. Please advise.
Thanks

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on June 02, 1999 at 16:31:47
Dear Nance
As I wrote, I think pulmonary function tests to check for asthma may be useful. The thought of an echocardiogram did cross my mind, in order to evaluate if your symptoms are due to heart failure. Depending on just how obese you are, though, an echocardiogram may provide sub-optimal pictures. It is really up to your doctor who knows you to decide whether further testing is necessary. From a distance, I can't judge whether your symptoms are a manifestation of heart failure, or whether they are due to your being overweight and deconditioned. I can not recommend exercise at this point, since you state that you have chest pain and shortness of breath just from climbing stairs.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. 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.