Results Of Stress Test

[asiadad97]

I am a 55 year old post CAB 8 years ago.  Recently had annual stress test.  Completed Bruce Protocol....level 7 .... max heart rate achieved 105%. One finding puzzles me .... notation as follows: Resting EKG Abnormal .... "Poor R wave progression V1 to V3".  This is the first time I have seen this notation made on the report - is there something that needs to be examined closer? ... or could it be attributed to a loose lead? Thank you.

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

Glad to see you are doing well after your CABG.  Poor R wave progression can result from variation in chest lead position in addition to previous heart attacks, variation in the hearts position in chest (it does vary from person to person).  If you  have a negative stress tests and no cardiac symptoms, I would not worry about "poor R wave progression" especially if it is limited to V1-V3.

I hope this helps.  Good luck and thanks for posting.

[Mantels]

You made 21 minutes and had a heart rate of only 138?

Wow.

[asiadad97]

After 21 minutes HR was 171.  Comments read as follows: "patient achieved 23.9 METS at 105% maximum target heart rate.  Exercise capacity is excellent".  I am inquiring about the Poor R wave comment.  Thanks.

[Erik36]

Sometimes EKG machines pick up things that aren't really there. They are very sensitive and this R wave thing could be an artifact or a transient finding. I assume that everything is normal with the stress test. You did great on the test. I wouldn't worry. Ask your doctor any questions you have about the results. Good luck.


Erik

[Duchess47]

I could only do 10 minutes on the treadmill last stress test.  My heart rate was about the same as yours.  My resting EKG was also "abnormal".  But because my echo. was o.k., the doctors said everything was fine.  They look over everything and make their conclusion.  My sister has had her EKG's register "abnormal" for years, but has never had a problem with her heart.  If you are feeling o.k., and have no "heart" symptoms, then I would trust the doctors interpretation.

[Momto3]

Hi Lynn!!

Good sunny afternoon to you : )

My EP is a female and definitely agrees that hormonal shifts can be contributory to pvc activity.  That being said, that certainly doesn't account for the majority.  I know males and females who are dealing with these things.  She has always been very attentive to my concerns, but for the overall vast majority, they remain benign.  

As for ways to deal with them -- hmmmm - I found that physical activity, like walking or cleaning (UGH) would help to keep the activity at bay.  The doctor once told me that my stress test indicated that if I ran around constantly, the pvcs were way less frequent...Not a good plan!!  Anyway, I guess my point is that exercise, even just mild exercise, helped.  The fact that my EP is not concerned is reassuring (most of the time)  : )

So glad to hear you are feeling better.  Enjoy the weekend!!

Connie

[JB2222]

A related discussion, 4 months after CABG was started.