Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
heart moniters
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.
heart moniters
by dawnms, Jul 05, 2002 12:00AM
Hi
I went to the er a few months back for chest pain.After some testing they came to the conclusion it was esophageal spasms. While I was there though, I was on a heart moniter. While on the moniter I had a really bad pain.I told the doc and he checked it and said it was fine. But when I had the pain, it beeped and there was a definite difference in the pattern on the moniter. My question is,can they tell the difference between heart related pain or something else. I mean if the pain is from an esophageal spasm would it have shown up? He said it was the way I moved or something, but that it was fine.Any info you could give me on heart moniters and how they tell the difference between heart vs. something else would be appreciated and hopefully comforting. Thanks- Dawn
I went to the er a few months back for chest pain.After some testing they came to the conclusion it was esophageal spasms. While I was there though, I was on a heart moniter. While on the moniter I had a really bad pain.I told the doc and he checked it and said it was fine. But when I had the pain, it beeped and there was a definite difference in the pattern on the moniter. My question is,can they tell the difference between heart related pain or something else. I mean if the pain is from an esophageal spasm would it have shown up? He said it was the way I moved or something, but that it was fine.Any info you could give me on heart moniters and how they tell the difference between heart vs. something else would be appreciated and hopefully comforting. Thanks- Dawn
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-RCJ, Jul 05, 2002 12:00AM
Dawn,
Chest pain is tricky business. It can be extremely difficult for even cardiologists and internists, the two types of specialties that see the most chest pain patients, to determine what is causing the pain. Esophageal spasms certainly can cause chest pain. While I have on occasion thought that a person's pain came from these spasms, I have never given someone that diagnosis in the ER. To correctly make that diagnosis requires a test called esophageal manometry, where a person swallows a probe that measures the pressures in the esophagus. If this was the test you had before the diagnosis was made, then the diagnosis is believable. Otherwise, the diagnosis was made solely based on the ER clinician's best judgement.
Heart monitors only show the rate and rhythm of the electrical activity of the heart. Usually when someone feels pain and hears a "beep", it's merely coincidence. Other times the beeps are caused by in iv finishing, a lead falling off your skin, a pulse oximeter falling off, etc. On occasion, some people will experience premature beats (which are generally harmless) as painful. These premature beats will sometimes trigger a "beep". Nothing on the heart monitor would allow the doctor to diagnose esophageal spasms.
I would recommend that you make an appointment to see your internist. Try www.acponline.org or doctorsforadults.com to find a board-certified internist in your area.
Hope that helps.
Chest pain is tricky business. It can be extremely difficult for even cardiologists and internists, the two types of specialties that see the most chest pain patients, to determine what is causing the pain. Esophageal spasms certainly can cause chest pain. While I have on occasion thought that a person's pain came from these spasms, I have never given someone that diagnosis in the ER. To correctly make that diagnosis requires a test called esophageal manometry, where a person swallows a probe that measures the pressures in the esophagus. If this was the test you had before the diagnosis was made, then the diagnosis is believable. Otherwise, the diagnosis was made solely based on the ER clinician's best judgement.
Heart monitors only show the rate and rhythm of the electrical activity of the heart. Usually when someone feels pain and hears a "beep", it's merely coincidence. Other times the beeps are caused by in iv finishing, a lead falling off your skin, a pulse oximeter falling off, etc. On occasion, some people will experience premature beats (which are generally harmless) as painful. These premature beats will sometimes trigger a "beep". Nothing on the heart monitor would allow the doctor to diagnose esophageal spasms.
I would recommend that you make an appointment to see your internist. Try www.acponline.org or doctorsforadults.com to find a board-certified internist in your area.
Hope that helps.
