High BP/abnormal q rhythm

[Spirica]

I am a 26 years old female. About 135lbs and 5feet 6inches in height. I eat fairly healthy, but worse since the bf moved in. =P I am somewhat active but could be much better. I've had low iron ever since I can remember but I'm trying cut down on my milk drinking and now it's up to 25, yay! Even still I'm tired most of the time.

Several years ago it was discovered I have high systolic blood pressure, but this took a long time to diagnose due to physicians dismissing it due to my size and age. My sodium is fine, and I did a 24 hour Bp monitor that noticed my Bp is overall ok but when it spikes it spikes very high. I take one adalat XL 50mg each morning. Recently I began having chest pains but I've moved away from my family doctor. I went to the walkin and they sent me for a renal ultrasound (supposedly fine) ad a EKG. I was not given a copy of ether And no one spoke to me about them.

I asked for the EKG to be sent to my naturopath where I got to look at it. It said abnormal q rhythm but no one spoke to me about what this meant. I'll discuss it with my physician when I'm visiting at Christmas but should I be waiting that long? For the past week ive felt tightness in my chest nearly constantly but I think that's fall work stress.

Any tips/ideas?

I realize that none of this is likely to be any urgent concern since I'm young and fairly healthy but I want to prevent illness in 20 years as well. =)

[is_something_wrong]

OK :)

I still recommend that you ask your doctor for a second opinion on the Q waves. As an alternative, you may consider scanning your EKG and asking a cardiologist online (Medhelp has a forum where you can ask for free, but the amount of questions answered daily is limited. Also, you may consider the Heart Rhythm Expert Forum, with a $20 fee). There are also cardiologists present at Allexperts.com.

Probably nothing to worry about, but why worry when you can know for sure? :)

[Spirica]

Thanks for the info!

I should mention, before I shed my naturopath in a poor light, that I asked for the results to be sent to her so that I could see them. The department would not give me a copy directly and my family dr is 2 days drive away (no one is taking new patients here).

She did not interpret results. The results literally said "abnormal Q ___" I apologize, it must be "wave" not rhythm. All the naturopath did was point to the downward wave that the report may have been referring to when I asked. =)

[is_something_wrong]

First, don't let any naturopaths interpret your EKG! That should be done by your lisenced physician!

I'm not a physician, but there is no such thing as an "abnormal q rhythm". There may be so-called q waves in an EKG, and depending on how they look, they may be normal and they may not. But they have nothing to do with the rhythm. When interpreting an EKG, both the rhythm and other changes or abnormalities must be considered.

Q waves (the abnormal ones) may be a sign of a previous heart attack (very very unlikely) or they may be a sign that the heart walls are thickened (which may be a consequence of high blood pressure, but very unlikely in young females). But again, Q waves are often normal.

It's hard not to recommend you to see your doctor. I wouldn't by any means trust a naturopath to interpret an EKG. If you feel chest pain/tightness, I would see the doctor fairly soon just to be certain, if you have a history of high blood pressure.

Take care =)

[Spirica]

Oops I mistyped my weight. Typing on the phone. I am 120-125lbs. Not sure if that makes a difference anyway but I know I'm very much not considered overweight.