Heart failure?

[i_am_who_i_am]

I went to the ER a few weeks ago with a racing heart. SOme of my other symptoms are fatigue, swelling in fingers in the morning, gurgling in chest, heartburn, feeling of fullness after small meals. Right now I also have a small cough because im recovering from a flu. When I went to the ER I only complained of racing heart. They did an EKG and blood work and both came back fine. They also listened to my lungs and heart and checked my feet for swelling. Everything was normal. I am worried about heart failure. Do you think they would have been looking for heart failure when I went to the ER? And given the information I have given you does this sound like a possibility of heart failure?

[Jonathan D. Rich, MD]

Hello and welcome to the forum:

The symptoms you describe are somewhat "nonspecific".  And while they could be consistent with heart failure, all considering the chances are certainly higher that it is not heart failure.  A couple of suggestions:

1. Regarding the "racing heart", you might want to consider a 24-48 hour holter monitor.  This would monitor your heart rate over a couple of days and may allow for the diagnosis of an arrhythmia or reassurance that all is ok.
2. If you symptoms of swelling, fatigue, palpitations persist, I dont think it would be unreasonable for a referral to a cardiologist for a more thorough assessment and probably an echocardiogram.  A BNP lab test can be very helpful in this instance as well (not sure if this was checked by the ER).

Wishing you well.

Best,

Dr. Rich

[i_am_who_i_am]

I would also like to add that my heart rate is usually around 64-76 but sometimes even around 84. And when I am up and down the stairs it can go up to 140 but then usually drops back down to around 80-90 within about a minute or two. But usually its around 68 I would say. It was staying at around 84 for a while but recently has been in the 60's