NSVT

[susabelle28]

It's good to see a few familiar people here.  I haven't been around for about 3 years.  I had an RVOT ablation for pvc's (20-25,000 per24hrs) at the Cleveland Clinic in 2004 and have been feeling great since.  I had an episode of my heart doing something weird (it didn't feel like a pvc) and almost passing out about a month ago.  A 24hr holter showed an 8 beat run of NSVT.  I'm now on an event monitor and haven't had anything to record.  Also had a normal echo.  My blood pressure, which was always low-normal, is now quite high, and I've been trying different things for that and not being able to stay on anything at this point due to side effects.  I've tried cardizem and diovan so far and both meds seem to either make my heart race or pound.  

Besides just wanting to say "hello",  I'm wondering what people on here who have rhythm issues take for their BP.  Beta-blockers are not an option for me due to asthma.

Susan

[gb36]

Hi susan..  I was wondering about your statement "NSVT definitely feels weird!  That rolling feeling is pretty strange.  My EP (Cleveland) would agree that isolated incidents in a structurally normal heart are not serious.  If they become prevalent or if circumstances change, she would probably be more concerned."

The tests I took seem to show I have structurally normal heart yet I have not isolated NSVT's but some that come and go quite regularly.  I'm taking beta blocker to help but that's all.  My holter monitor showed about 12 NSVTs in 24 hour period.  So, i'm concerned but what is next step?

[tickertock]

I can't believe your Ep scared you about the 8 neat run of NSVT and SCD, thats not so professional without a further workup. I had a a 5-6 beat run of NSVT recorded in 87 over 20 years ago and the Ep back then didn't think twice about it and I only wore the holter for 18 hours, my holter was deemed normal! The funny thing this occurred while I was awake and I didn't feel a thing and I'm super heart aware, had abouyt 95 PVC and 33 PACs also during the 18 hours didn't feel one, Yet I'm aware of even normal beats most of the time. I had PVcs in 1000s daily off and since 92, but It's been over 5 years now since my last prolonged episode of PVCs I take 100mg of atenolol daily , also Cozaar and HCTZ for mild HTN. I rarely have a PVC anymore"knock on wood". WMAC had a nuclear stress test on Tuesday this week for a chest pain issue which I think turned out normal, I spoke with her on the phone yesterday, even we're over 3000 miles apart we communicate regularly, I let her know you were inquiring about her, she has had her share of issues with NSVT including to EP studies in which NSVT could not be induced, as I understand this type NSVT is known benign idiopathic NSVT and you are at no greater risk of SCD than the general population. Take care and be well. Don't worry too much.

[Momto3]

WOW!!  That's interesting.  I can't believe people wouldn't notice NSVT.  It catches my attention : )

[Momto3]

Congrats on the successful ablation!  I had nearly identical numbers to you, and also had successful procedures.  Do you notice the isolated pvc's more?  Prior to the ablations, I was so used to the extra beats, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to them (once I knew I was OK).    

NSVT definitely feels weird!  That rolling feeling is pretty strange.  My EP (Cleveland) would agree that isolated incidents in a structurally normal heart are not serious.  If they become prevalent or if circumstances change, she would probably be more concerned.  I can't believe your local doctor started talking about sudden death...that's scary!  Good thing you have a great resource with your EP.

Murphy's Law with the monitor!  You'll probably catch it sooner, or later.  Hang in there...I always feel better if the doctor can see the reaching when I have a new rhythm issue.

Lisinopril an ace inhibitor.  

I also find it very interesting that we both had increases in BP since the procedures....Hmmmmm

WMAC still posts occasionally, but I don't think as often.  Maybe she still follows the discussions and will join in.  I remember that she also had ablation(s) and that she was dealing with NSVT too.

I'm wondering how WMAC is doing, I know that she had issues with NSVT as well.

Next time you and hubby head out to dinner, wear the monitor : )  I wore mine a couple of times when I was traveling by air.  One time, TSA wanted to know what I was wearing...kinda funny.  I explained, but they didn't get it....so, I just told them I'd take it off.  

Take care!
connie

[deedle1976]

Hi susabelle, Just to reassure you about nsvt in a normal heart. There was a study published in the journal cardiology in feb this year inwhich they put a 24hr holter monitor on 625 people with healthy hearts (as confirmed by echo etc). On the day of the experiment 3.4% of people had nsvt and the average length of the nsvt was 16 beats. I'm sure many more people had it but just not during the 24 hours of the study.

[susabelle28]

Hi Connie,

My ablation was very successful.  I still have pvc's, but maybe one or two per day compared to 20-25,000 per day.

The NSVT thing is new and my EP here in Illinois was quite concerned, mentioned sudden death, and totally freaked me out.  When I called my EP in Cleveland, he was very reassuring and said that isolated NSVT in a stucturally normal heart is not a big deal.  I'm on an event monitor and I haven't had anything interesting happen except for the night my husband and I were out (I wasn't wearing the monitor of course!) and I had some shortness of breath which I thought was my asthma acting up, until I realized that my heart was really racing. Not sure exactly what that was.

Is lisinopril a beta-blocker?

It's interesting that we both had our BP go up after ablations.

I'm wondering how WMAC is doing, I know that she had issues with NSVT as well.

It's good to hear from you!

Susan

[Momto3]

Welcome back!!

I had two ablations in 2003, one RVOT and one LVOT.  I had a very similar experience to yours in that after years of low to normal BP, I now have an increased BP.  It happened right after the ablations.  I tried waiting to see if it would settle back down, but it didn't happen.  So, now I take a small dose of lisinopril daily.  I asked my doctor about the change in BP and while she didn't have an exact explanation, she and I discussed the possibility that because was heart is now functioning more normally, the pressure changed.  

I noticed a few more episodes of short bursts of nsvt over the past 6 months or so, but just a few times.  I'm not afraid of the episodes and in fact, kinda tune into them. I hope the pvcs only show up now and again, and don't start to increase in frequency.  

Was your ablation successful?  Was this an isolated incident, or have you been experiencing more episodes?

Connie