I am 22, female, and have been experiencing a very high heart rate (100-130s) that constantly fluctuates (never staying the same for more than 2 seconds - I have a HR monitor watch that I use from my running days). I suddenly got horrible chest pain in July, so I went to the hospital and that's when I found out my heart rate was high. It never was before, it usual is around 60-65. I was in the hospital for 5 days where they ran tests: EKGs, x-rays, CT, and an echo; everything came back normal so I was discharged. I saw a cardiologist a week after being discharged and was put on a 24 hour holter monitor which showed no irregularities, an average HR of 88 and the highest 170. After that one test and seeing the cardiologist only that one time he diagnosed me with 'inappropriate sinus tachycardyia' and wanted to prescribe me a beta blocker, however, I have a low BP and don't want to lower it more and add another problem.
Six months later and things still haven't improved; the chest pain is worse. I saw another cardiologist a few weeks ago and got a tilt table test and another 24-hour monitor. The tilt table didn't show orthostatic hypotension, but it showed drastic changes in my heart rate. The holter monitor showed my average HR was 100, lowest was 74, and the highest was 179. I was truly resting, only going up one flight of stairs to my room or walking around the house to cook, etc. My HR is obviously getting higher and the pain worse.
I do have Wegener's Granulomatosis and am on several meds to treat that, but none of the meds should be causing the high heart rate, nor do they interact to possibly cause this. I also have hypothyroidism, but my levels are good, and that wouldn't explain my high HR either.
The new cardiologist wants to schedule me for another test to rule out everything, but thinks inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) could be a diagnosis. I am just hesitant to take a med to lower my HR without a definitive diagnosis. Should I start the med and hope that helps? Or just not take it since if it is IST, it isn't life threatening. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks. :)
Rebekah