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Interventional Cardiology (Expert Forum)
Ectopic beats during exercise
Answered by
Darcy Green Conaway, MD - General Cardiology, Echocardiology
Truman Medical Center
Questions in the Interventional Cardiology forum are answered by medical professionals affiliated with the Truman Medical Center. Topics covered include acute coronary syndrome, angina , atrial fibrillation , cardiac catheterization , cardiomyopathy , drug abuse & cardiac disease, echocardiography , heart failure , hypertension & heart disease , lipid management , minorities and heart disease, peripheral vascular disease prevention, valvular heart disease , women’s heart health, and the warning signs of a heart attack.
Ectopic beats during exercise
by Wideawake, Nov 26, 2007 10:24AM
Hi there - I am a 45 year old female who is slim and I exercise regularly. I am in the middle of coming off sleeping tablets (Loprazolam) by switching over to Diazepam for insomnia and decreasing monthly. Started on 10mg at night, now at 5mg. Whenever I get hot, stressed or exercise, I always get runs of ectopics, sometimes perfect bigeminy but usually random. No pain or breathessness, but I can really feel them and they scare me. I have had a stress test and they began straight away and I had to take my heart rate to 180 before they disappeared into my fast but normal sinus rhythm. Do you think this could be a withdrawal symptom from the benzos? My cardiologist didn't seem to know and told me to come back in 6 months! They appear every time my heart rate increases at the moment, but other benzo withdrawal symptoms have been minimal. Thanks very much.
Doctor's Answer
by Darcy Green Conaway, MD, Nov 26, 2007 10:58PM
, Nov 26, 2007 10:58PM
I think it is very possible this is part of a withdrawal syndrome, but this is not well documented to my knowledge in the medical literature. If your heart is otherwise healthy, then runs of bigeminy are not prognostically a bad sign...I suspect that it is due to withdrawal as you have cut your dose in half. Good luck- hope you feel better
