Palpitations after stent

[Dave S.]

In October of 1998 I had a very severe heart attack. I was 48 at the time and had just finished a heavy work out at my local gym. While on my way home I noticed the symptoms and since the hospital was on the way I stopped at the ER.  They called my wife at my request and by the time she arrived I was in bad shape. I had "coded" twice and "TPA" wasn't working.  CPR was administered because the defib machine went out of service and they ran to get another one. (so my wife tells me)  Over the entire course of this "event" I coded 5 times.

I was rushed into the "Cath" lab and found to have only one small blockage with no other signs of blockage or clogged heart arteries at all.  A stent was put in and my life was saved.

Further test including nuclear tread mills (3) showed "NO" damage and no plaque build up anywhere in my heart.  I was give a clean bill of health and told that since I had worked out at a gym for so many years and didn't smoke any longer I probably saved my own life.  My cardioligist says he has never seen anything like the trauma I went through and walk away "totally" unscathed.  He said I had a miricle in my life.

I am on no major meds except an asprin and 1/4 mg of Klonipin per day for anxiety and 10mg of Pravachol.  The stent has healed in what the doctor calls perfectly. Ever since the "event" I get palpitations.  I have worn a halter monitor and have been told that they are normal and nothing to worry about.  I HATE THEM!!  I never had them before so why now?  They occur mostly when I am relaxed.  Sometimes they act like "heavy beats".  Other times they come in rapid scuccession and I feel them in my throat.  They are the reason for my Klonipin.

I have two questions.

1. Why am I now getting these palpitations when I neve had them before?  

2.  My STENT... What is the life span on a stent and what can I expect from it in the future?  I quess what I mean is, has it affected my life expectancy and will the stent itself cause problems later in my life. Frankly it scares me.

[Dianna]

My husband had a stent put in June 6th.  He is in excellant health.  they said there was no heart damage.  his left chamber vessel of the heart was 99% blocked.  They put a stent in.  He is doing good. he is 55.  he is having missed heart beats once in awhile.  he is on bp medicine. he is taking premevil 20mg, diovan80mg,.  he was taking a lopresser once a day and thought that might be doing it.  so he took a 1/2 of one.  but today he didn't take any yet.  he takes an asprin 85mg or 88mg every day.  but he is allergic to them.  we were wondering if the asprin could be giving him the missed heart beats.  he is not over weight and healthy otherwise.

[shirley]

im 62,have had angioplasty and stent two months ago.
since that day I experience sharp pains in the chest and a left hand that has pins and needles very often,are they in anyway related to the proceedure

[Christopher Clifford]

I am a 29 year old male who experienced my first "massive" heart attack exactly two weeks ago (3-9-00.) The angioplasty was the choice by my doctors. I also had three stents placed in as many arteries. I am experiencing the palpitations or skipped heart beats that I am reading in the previous comments. Is it normal? Yesterday (3-21-00) I noticed them all day and into the night. As I laid down for bed my nose started bleeding. What's going on?
I do smoke (12 years) trying to quit, very hard. Not overweight, no drug use. Overall pretty healthy. Is there cause for alarm?
Thank you.

[Jim]

I'm 39 and I occasionally get an irregular heart beat. It only happens when I'm sitting or laying down. It's almost as if the change in body position triggers it. It can last up to 5-10 minutes. Usually I can get it to subside by breathing in a slow controlled manner and remaining calm. I am a little overweight and the heavier I am the more the symptom occurs. I do not get any chest pains or dizziness, just a slight shortness of breath. With my age, and the fact that my father had a heart attack in his early forties (was a heavy smoker, I do not smoke), I am concerned. Any advice?

[kim]

I am 4 months pregant and since the beginning of my pregancy I get frequent palpatations.  I have had all the standard tests including an EKG, Echo, and worn an event monitor.  My doctor claims that this is common in pregant women and I shouldn't be concerned.  Is it "normal" for to a heart rate to jump from 74 to 104 and back down in the 80's in a matter of 1 - 3 minutes?  Mine is all over the place.  I notice the paplatations more when I lay down or with minimal exertion (walking up a flight of stair).  He refers to my "condition" as tachycardia.  Is tachycardia and palpatations the same thing?  I did have a couple of episodes last year, when I was not pregant, when I had palpatations and my heart rate was 160 and 180. I guess I am looking for a second opinion to help calm my fears of a more serious heart condition that could be misdiagnosed.  What do you think?

[Jim Whitaker]

At the end of January I suffered a heart attack, I am now recovering at home, I have suffered from Asthma for 20 years but since the heart attack I have problems getting relief with my asthma medication, is this due to the heart attack or the medication I am taking for it I am taking Isosorbide Mononitratate 60mg Diltiazem 240mg sinvastatine20mg and 75mg asprin per day. I would add that prior to the heart attack I was a smoker but have quit since the attack.

[Tara]

I get palpatations, tight throat, restricted breathing, clammy hands, and sometimes dizzyness.  Other times I have rapid heart beat and I feel like I about to die.  I've had ultrasounds and EKG, and everyone thinks its anxiety.  But this is a daily problem, and I'm not that stressed.  It's all very scary- I just get worried that doctors are missing something and passing it off as anxiety.  And what about the long term effects of anxiety, it can be good for the heart.

[charlie the artist]

I am not quite sure what to think, i need advice.

I am experiencing a multitude of conditions that sound like heart stuff. I am 44 yrs. old. busy lifestyle. 2 chldrn. do not smoke. though i had smoked mariquana for years on a regular basis.

I have periodic palpitations that last only a few seconds.
but what comes after it alarms me. chest pains that can last
a few days. heavy,labored breathing. a strange, slight short lived headache over my eyes. pain in the middle of my left hand radiating to my middle finger. When the symptoms ultimatly subside, i feel as if i need a acid blocker(tag or pepsid). which do seem to help.
what can these symptoms mean?

thankyou whomever for advice

[Lee Fowler [email protected]]

  I'm a 56 year oldlady was has had open heart, due to a
  break in atrey when the doctor tried to clear a blockage.

  Things went well expect my thryoid went carzy, that was
  ten years ago.

  Now my heart is doing the skipping beat thing. I work about 50
  hours a week....

  I don't drink or do drugs.   Please help
                        Lee ***@****.

[Missy]

Just curious to know if your doctor has ruled out "palpitations"?
I get a weird feeling somtimes it feels like a harder/strong beat in my upper chest other times I just feel a weird feeling in my throat. Pulse is always normal and no other symptoms. Anyhow my doctor told me that the feeling in your throat has nothing to do with your heart. Hope this helps!!

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Dave,

I'm not sure I can give you a good answer to your first question.  My guess is that you have always had 'skipped beats' (most people do) but never noticed them before.  Now that you are more tuned in to your heart (after what you wnet through) you notice them.  A beta-blocker or calcium-channel blocker medication may help reduce these and probably would be a good drug for you to be  taking anyways given your history.  Ask your doctor about this option.  

Your second question is a bit easier.  There is a 20 to 30% chance of a stent having some blockage return in the first 6 months.  Once you are out of this period the outlook for long term patency is quite good.  There is no decrease in life expectancy due to stents.  Best wishes to you in your 'second lease' on life.