Wife is scared stiff

My wife just had an EKG performed by an ARNP who came back in the room and stated that the EKG showed her heart is not receiving enough oxygen in the left side of her heart.  How accurate is an EKG.  We have an appointment with a cardiologist but until she she him it has scared the heck of her.  

[alleycat2]

Lots of times EKG are not worth the time or effort. My heart attack never even showed up o n mine.  The only way i see is a nuclear heart test.

[ChatterAlly]

Is that the only test they did on her?  Why was she seen to begin with? Was she having chest pains or shortness of breath?  Sorry, but I want a little more info.  Thanks, Ally

[erijon]

I agree with Ally, a little more information is needed. If all you have to go by is an EKG done by an Advanced Registered Nurse, I would not get too worked up. Much would depend on why she was there in the first place, but keep in mind that most EKG machines these days give a programmed interpretation of the results. Most all doctors I have spoken to don't even look at that. Only a doctor can read an EKG, and EKGs are notorious for being inaccurate for things like this.

I would not give it much thought until I had the cardiologist take a look. I know, easy for me to say.

Good luck,

Jon

[ed34]

Yes an EKG can show this. They should have really followed up with an echo scan. However, it could just mean taking medication and making some life style changes to improve things, such as healthy diet and cholesterol/blood pressure control.

[kenkeith]

The EKG segment of interest is the ST interval. ST changes are not considered a basis for definitive diagnosis of individual episodes of ischemia (diminished blood flow).The EKG software evaluations are not required to detect the events, but only to classify each given event as ischemic, non-ischemic, or indeterminate. Often ST changes are not an indication of any heart disorder...requires further testing and associated symptoms

If further testing for ischemia (vessel blockage reduced blood flow) the appropriate test it seems would be a stress test.  Especially if there are symptoms of chest pains, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc. The stress test will show the location of  vessel blockage with exertion as the injected dye will be monitored on a screen as the blood flows with exercise..

[cindy707]

First off lets be realistic here ....since when does a ARNP give a final diagnosis or interpt test results....that is outside of their scope of training and procedure.  If that were the case we would have no doctors.  That was way out of line and she overstepped her boundries period and she knows that as a nurse.  Secondly i agree with all of the above posts....an EKG can no way give anyone a determination of what is structurally going on with your wifes heart.....as kenkeith said there are many  more tests that need to be run to test the structural integrity of her heart and what the issues are.  If this nurse is saying that she is not getting enough blood flow to the left side of the heart did this nurse after scaring the heck out of your both attempt to offer up an explanation or just leave you hanging with that thought?  I don't even want to comment on what could be a possible cause for that little issue since i don't believe it has any merit and won't under a DOCTOR confirms this thru additional testing and an EKG just doesn't cut it...i am sorry that you went thru this and to me its just inexcusable...you need to tell the heart doc exactly what this person said, how it made you both feel, so that the doc can have a little talk with this nurse and put her back within her boundries....as an ex nurse and still working in the medical field as an instructor i am disappointed that there are still people out there that cross that line and if i were you i wouldn't believe a thing that nurse said and make sure next time you go to that medical facility you be sure you tell them you would prefer another nurse...sorry...don't panic here.....holy cow.................................