exercise-induced tachycardia ??

[Titotomo]

Hi there:  I am a 33 yr old female, 5'2", 113lbs, quite healthy, and yesterday I had a scary episode during an exercise class - which I suspect was a case of tachycardia. I've had this a few times before and it usually happens just after strenuous exercise. Normally it subsides after a minute or so but this went on for about 8 minutes. This is the 2nd time this week that it's happened during this class as we combine weightlifting with cardio activity. My heart started pounding very rapidly - uncontrollably - and felt it was twice as fast as it should be. Should this be a concern? I am quite nervous about doing the class again in case it comes back.

I went to the doctor and he said it could just be ectopic beats but this felt more like my heart went into overdrive... Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

[Titotomo]

Hi there: thanks for your thorough response to my query! Sorry to hear about your condition - it sounds quite difficult to deal with. Hopefully you're still able to carry on running? Can I ask how often your episodes are and whether your doctor said it has long term repercussions? This PST sounds quite scary even if it is harmless. Surely it's not good for your heart to go into overdrive like that for short periods?

The doctor did say they could fit me with a monitor but first they want to see how frequently it happens - I'm getting an EKG done next week. This has only happened to me a few times, the first episode was 8 years ago, but I suspect that because my fitness class involves lifting weights with intense cardio that it is going to happen again. It seems to occur just after I've done aerobic activity and I bend down to pick something up (i.e. a weight). The last time, I'd just got off from cycling up a hill and lifted up a box right away which triggered the event. So it does sound like PST. The fitness instructors seemed to think I was over-reacting and chalked it up to palpitations, but I'm sure as you know, the rapid pounding is nothing like mild palpitations!

Anyway, cheers for your help with this...

[littlegreenman1]

Me too... Here's how mine went...
I'm a runner.
I'd get going and about in 5 minutes... my breathing and heart would get "out of synch."
My heart would start feeling "loose" and then it would take off zooooom. Beating fast, like mad. I got a heart rate monitor and found it would ramp up from 150 to 225.  I would stop, take a knee, breath deep and steady and the heart rate would recover as fast as it went up.  See:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/39811661
Then I could (generally) get back on the road and go asymptomatically.

What it sounds like is probably Paroxysmal Spraventricular Tachycardia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paroxysmal_supraventricular_tachycardia

If it happens regularly... you could go for a 24 or 48 hr holter monitor. If it is unpredictable (ie only once a week, twice a month or this is the first time ever)  get a 30 holter. The key, hard, first step (yes 3 things) is: get the event on tape.  Hopefully (probably) they'll tell you it's SVT which, in general, will not kill you and that's good news.

I also had instances where I could not convert myself and landed in the ER - twice w/in about a month. I *did* convert myself in the ER, so they didn't have to give me any nasty drugs. (adenocart?)

If it is SVT - you've (possibly) got 3 options:
- do nothing
- drugs
- ablation surgery

Bottom line - have your doc order a holter from the local cardiologist TOMORROW. If he won't... fire him.