Hello, I am a 33 year old male, no-smoker, non-drinker and height/weight proportionate.
My grandfather, father and aunt have a history of "irregular heart beat"...my 80 year old father has had 2 nuclear stress tests in his life (1978 and 1991) that revealed nothing serious.
Since childhood, on occasion I would feel my heart flutter. It was never formally investigated, and I found that eliminating caffeine nearly eliminated the symptoms.
Shortly after passing my annual physical last week, I fainted during the following blood test (fainting in the clinic quite normal for me following needle sticks). After fainting, my pulse was 110 and my BP was 104/59, and stayed that way for the 20 minutes the nurses insisted I lay in the chair. After fainting, I could feel my heartbeat, and it felt fluttering or irregular. I have felt the sensation before, and it usually quickly clears up on it's own. The only thing I can think of that might have triggered it is the rapid heart rate that accompanies recovery from fainting as blood pressure is restored. The nurse was concerned about my quick pulse and low BP. She called the Doctor, who told her to have me walk around a bit, and if I didn't faint again that I was ok to go home as he had examined me a short time before. I did mention the heart flutter to the nurse before I left.
When I got home, my BP was about the same and my pulse was 104. The flutter/palpitation persisted for almost 10 hours and resolved itself sometime during the night. (fainted at 3pm....flutter was gone when I awoke at 3am). The next morning, my BP was 125/60 and pulse was 85 (much more normal for me). Is this symptom characteristic of something minor that people live with? Or is it something potentially fatal that should require a full cardiac workup? I'm nervous about the IV should my Doc want a nuclear stress test, and a cardiac condition, if serious enough, could swiftly end my professional career in the transportation industry.
Of course, I understand that asking a question in a forum is not a substitute for an in-person exam, but I value the reader's experience and professional opinions.
Thanks for your advice,
Derek