Undiagnosed Problem

[Jim_D_J]

I have been diagnosed with PVCs.  A tightness in my chest and fluttering causes me to cough.  My doctor says my heart is healthy and the PVCs are natural for someone over 50.  This week, I had chest pains (heaviness on my chest), nausea, dizziness ( as if I was going to pass out), pain in my left arm and leg, spasms in my  chest just above my stomach and below my rib cage, bloating feeling in my stomach, shaking, and my blood pressure was 183 over 114.  My wife called 911, and I was transported to the hospital by ambulance.  3 nitro pills were given and the chest pain and blood pressure was better quickly.  I was in the hospital 2 days.  My blood test showed that my enzymes were normal and the ultrasound and stress test on a treadmill were normal.   So I was released to follow up immediately with my family doctor.  My family history is not good as far as heart disease.  What follow up needs to be done?

[PikaPika88]

I'm not agreed with Dr McWilliams here, "If your cardiac enzymes were negative, you did not have a heart attack."  I knew in medical judgement, black and white, reassurance was given like this.  I think the Medical field should reconsider and rewrite the case or judgement.

I was told by the ER doctor as what is Dr McWilliams said.  Sent home.  Follow up with a cardio in private care few months later.  An echo has showed infarction and my heart didn't contract as it should be then.  The cardio told me, you probably had a silent heart attack before!  "What?  Silent heart attack?"  A real painful, typical heart attack but the enzymes were negative so diagnosed as "Panic Attack"!

Please follow up with an echo to ensure that.  History should prevent mistake to be made again.

Take care.

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11798370?dopt=Abstract

It has been studied and is not helpful.

[Jim_D_J]

What do you think about EDTA chelation therapy?  Some alternative practitioners use chelation to treat hardening of the arteries. The original theory behind calcium chelation therapy was that EDTA forms a complex with the calcium in the walls of arteries. Drawbacks with this theory include EDTA’s inability to penetrate the cell membranes in the arteries and therefore inability to access the calcium, EDTA binding preferentially to other metals, and calcium posing minimal arterial danger in comparison to cholesterol and other deposits. A number of dangers have been associated with the therapy including hypocalcaemia, decreased blood coagulation ability (perhaps hypocalcaemia related), and the risk of leaching of necessary trace metals.

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

You probably just need to see a cardiologist.  Your blood pressure should be adequately managed and they need to make sure that you don't have obstructive coronary disease as a cause of the PVCs and/or chest pain.  Sometimes treadmills are ok and sometimes additional imaging is necessary to make sure there are no blockages.  Many of the symptoms you describe can also happen with a panic attack.  A thorough evaluation should be done to rule out coronary disease and other cardiac causes.  If your cardiac enzymes were negative, you did not have a heart attack.

I hope this helps.