Holter test Interpretation

[csshastry]

I just went and picked up a copy of my holter monitor results, I had the test a week ago. At the bottom of the page this is what it reads, I'm freaked out.

Monitoring started at 2.30 pm and continued for 23 hrs 59 mins. The average heart rate was 67BPM. The minimum heart rate was 36 BPM at 5.17 am. The maximum heart rate was 160 BPM, occuring at 7.42 am when i was in in jogging

The patients rhythm included 10 hrs 51 mins 36 sec of bradycardia. The slowes single episode of bradycardia occured at 5.06 am  lasting 11 mins 29 sec, with minimum heart rate of 36 BPM.

The patients rhythm included 36 min of tachycardia. The fastest single episode of tachycardia occured at 7.42 am, lasting 3 min 23 sec, with maximum heart rate of 160 BPM.

Supraventricular ectopic activity consisted of 569 beats, of which, 566 were late beats, 3 were single PACs. The longest R-R interval was 1.8 seconds occirs at 7.14 am. The longest N-N interval was 1.8 seconds occurs at 7.14 am.



What does all this mean,is every thing is ok or shall i need any medication, are the late beats, are they dangerous? Should I be concerned about it? Please help! .

[is_something_wrong]

Yes, the report is very normal. The "late PACs" are quite common when your heart rate is slow. When you are asleep, your so-called "vagus nerve" (the brake pedal in your nerve system) is very active, so it's easy for other parts of the heart to release an occational impulse. PACs, especially late PACs, are benign.

The low of 36 is normal during sleep. My low was 37, by the way. And I'm only average fit.

Congratulations! :)

[csshastry]

thanks

[csshastry]

Very Very Thank for the information

[dave1726]

  You have some ectopic beats that originate in your atrium. Here is how it works in simple terms. Normally the SA node ( the heart's naturally pacemaker in the right ventricle) sends a signal to the AV node and then the signal goes through the ventricles causing contraction. Now, in case the SA node ever takes a nap and doesn't do it's job there are all sorts of other spots in your atriums and ventricles that can take over and keep the heart pumping and you alive. Sometimes one or more of these spots gets irritable and fires off even when the SA node is doing it's job. The result is a premature beat that originated from either the atrium or the ventricle. These are called PAC's or PVC's. PVC's are benign unless they are occurring as a result of structural or electrical heart disease. You have PAC's, which are always benign because you live off the ventricles, not the atriums. In short, if you took this Holter study because you are having palpitations, you now know that your palpitations have a benign origin. If you want to fix the palpitations you can try supplements like fish oil or magnesium and stress reduction. If you really still insist on getting rid of them you can look into a procedure called RF ablation, which is where they use radio frequency heat waves to burn off the irritable part of your atrium that is causing these premature beats that you feel as palpitations. I would highly discourage you from taking anti-arrhythmic drugs as their benefit is often far outweighed by the risk of side effects especially in really benign situations such as this. The only thing to look at regarding atrial arrhythmias is potentially going on to develop A-fib, which is when the atriums quiver instead of beat. It's not lethal itself, but it can cause blood clotting from lack of blood flow through the atriums and that clot could go on to cause a stroke or heart attack. You are a runner, and many runners get atrial arrhythmias as a by-product of training, and later in their 40's-50's many of them develop A-fib and have to take a blood thinner, so just think about that moving forward. But overall, you really have nothing to worry about. The bradycardia is normal. You are fit, that is why your HR is so low at night. Mine hit 27 a few times when I had a Holter because I am a runner. It's just how it works sometimes. I'm guessing you were asleep at 5:17am, so it's all good. You might even get some sinus pauses. It happens. Your report is totally normal, nothing sinister there. I can't comment on your heart as a whole since maybe you do or do not have other problems that didn't show up on this day, and maybe you do or don't have structural heart problems, or cholesterol issues, or hypertension, or whatever. But this report=very normal.

[Mom2four85]

one thing I would ask about is the 10 hrs and 51 min of bradycardia; do you remember how long you slept?

bradycardia during sleep cycles is more tolerant than waking, unless you're an athlete I believe; 36 may be a bit low for waking hours...

def ask your dr about that but it may be considered normal unless you have other symtoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, chest discomfort, palpitations or shortness of breath?