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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
V-tach or A-fib?
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.
V-tach or A-fib?
by Lyn2, Oct 25, 2001 12:00AM
I have a couple of questions. One relates to my pacemaker and the other a rhythm problem I am having. When I went to my EP doctor yesterday, he did the usual pacemaker interrogation. What does it mean to be paced vs. sensed? He said I am 100% paced in my atrium, and the ventrical is part sensed, part paced. What does sensed mean?
Also, I have been diagnosed with a-fib and a wide complex tachycardia which PROBABLY is a-fib with aberancy. Well, since my last check I have been having alot of palpatations. Many times it skips and other times I get very fast runs mixed in that feel exactly like when I get the wide complex tach. However, when he did the pacer check he said for the first time there were no episodes of a-fib. The pacer has not been keeping track of ventricular rhythms. But he did say that I've had 10s of thousands of PVCs, which is new. He did change the pacer so it could record ventricular events. After I left his office, it occured to me that if those fast rate events that I have been having are not a-fib, or high rate atrial episodes does that mean it could be ventricular tachycardia and that those wide complex tachs. that were diagnosed as a-fib with aberancy are actually v-tach? Do you think that is what my doctor is looking for? Also, is it unusual to have both ventricular arrrythmias and atrial arrythmias? Can PVCs be connected to V-tach?
Thanks so much. AGAIN.
Also, I have been diagnosed with a-fib and a wide complex tachycardia which PROBABLY is a-fib with aberancy. Well, since my last check I have been having alot of palpatations. Many times it skips and other times I get very fast runs mixed in that feel exactly like when I get the wide complex tach. However, when he did the pacer check he said for the first time there were no episodes of a-fib. The pacer has not been keeping track of ventricular rhythms. But he did say that I've had 10s of thousands of PVCs, which is new. He did change the pacer so it could record ventricular events. After I left his office, it occured to me that if those fast rate events that I have been having are not a-fib, or high rate atrial episodes does that mean it could be ventricular tachycardia and that those wide complex tachs. that were diagnosed as a-fib with aberancy are actually v-tach? Do you think that is what my doctor is looking for? Also, is it unusual to have both ventricular arrrythmias and atrial arrythmias? Can PVCs be connected to V-tach?
Thanks so much. AGAIN.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Oct 26, 2001 12:00AM
Dear cn,
A pacemaker can either detect the heart's own rhythm and not pace (sensed beat) or pace the heart if it does not detect a heartbeat (paced beat). In your case the pacemaker is always pacing the top chamber (atrium) and pacing the bottom chamber (ventricle) about half the time.
Concerning the fast heart it is possible that this is VTach but it is hard to say for sure without the recordings. It is not that unusual to have both afib with abberency and VT and it can sometimes be hard to tell exactly which is happening. Interrogation of the pacemaker at the next visit will be very enlightening. If it is VT then you may benefit from medication or even an ablation procedure. Just the fact that you are having so many PVCs would suggest that a PVC ablation may benefit you. I would discuss these options with your doctor at your next visit.
A pacemaker can either detect the heart's own rhythm and not pace (sensed beat) or pace the heart if it does not detect a heartbeat (paced beat). In your case the pacemaker is always pacing the top chamber (atrium) and pacing the bottom chamber (ventricle) about half the time.
Concerning the fast heart it is possible that this is VTach but it is hard to say for sure without the recordings. It is not that unusual to have both afib with abberency and VT and it can sometimes be hard to tell exactly which is happening. Interrogation of the pacemaker at the next visit will be very enlightening. If it is VT then you may benefit from medication or even an ablation procedure. Just the fact that you are having so many PVCs would suggest that a PVC ablation may benefit you. I would discuss these options with your doctor at your next visit.
