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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
SSS and other trouble
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
SSS and other trouble
by mariette, Nov 02, 2003 12:00AM
I was diagnosed with SSS in 1996 and got a pacemaker after a sinus arrest in the hospital (right place). lately I am experiencing very rapid heartbeat doing nothing. two times I was very dizzy, tried to read my BP which could not be read by my home device. I know that I also have orthostatic problems, but now I don't know what I should do. could there be a linkage with my lung problems as well? last ECG shows an enlarged left ventricle (?) but no-one paid attention to that.
- should the enlargement need to be checked out
- what is the chicken-and-egg here? BP down... HR up or the other way round?
- could it have something to do with the lung trouble? I am having severe COPD and have a lot of breathing difficulties.
docs suggested cordarone.... but there are so many side effects from those pills.... and with the lung meds??? not a good idea I guess? before I was on sotalol as well as digoxin. but I stopped taking those since it made me so dull....
last but not least another question: I need to have a mammogram done as well as an ultrasound of the breast. the pacemaker is implanted partly IN in breastmuscle. would that be a problem?
thanks so much for your time.
- should the enlargement need to be checked out
- what is the chicken-and-egg here? BP down... HR up or the other way round?
- could it have something to do with the lung trouble? I am having severe COPD and have a lot of breathing difficulties.
docs suggested cordarone.... but there are so many side effects from those pills.... and with the lung meds??? not a good idea I guess? before I was on sotalol as well as digoxin. but I stopped taking those since it made me so dull....
last but not least another question: I need to have a mammogram done as well as an ultrasound of the breast. the pacemaker is implanted partly IN in breastmuscle. would that be a problem?
thanks so much for your time.
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Nov 02, 2003 12:00AM
, Nov 02, 2003 12:00AM
mariette,
You should have your pacemaker interrogated. Depending on your device, it may be able to provide all of the needed information to your electorphysiologist about exactly why your heart rhythm is so fast. Considering the medicines that your doctor is suggesting, it may atrial fibrillation causing your rate to go high if this is in your history. Other possibilities include atrial tachycardia, a pathway, and multifocal atrial tachycardia (given your lung disease). I don't know enough about your specific medical history or rhythm to comment on what meds would be ideal for you.
ECG's often can show electrical activity of heart enlargement in normal individuals. An echocardiogram would be a better test to show if this is the case.
Make sure you have had pulmonary function test to confirm your diagnosis of severe COPD.
The pacemaker is usually implanted under the muscle and above the breast tissue and should not interfere with your mammogram. Pacemakers are very common today and the technologist will know what to do for optimal imaging.
hope this is a start.
You should have your pacemaker interrogated. Depending on your device, it may be able to provide all of the needed information to your electorphysiologist about exactly why your heart rhythm is so fast. Considering the medicines that your doctor is suggesting, it may atrial fibrillation causing your rate to go high if this is in your history. Other possibilities include atrial tachycardia, a pathway, and multifocal atrial tachycardia (given your lung disease). I don't know enough about your specific medical history or rhythm to comment on what meds would be ideal for you.
ECG's often can show electrical activity of heart enlargement in normal individuals. An echocardiogram would be a better test to show if this is the case.
Make sure you have had pulmonary function test to confirm your diagnosis of severe COPD.
The pacemaker is usually implanted under the muscle and above the breast tissue and should not interfere with your mammogram. Pacemakers are very common today and the technologist will know what to do for optimal imaging.
hope this is a start.
