False positive

[BUTTERFLY2714]

I saw a cardiologist and I am very uncertain about what he told me but since I don't know anything about heart condition I don't trust my thinking on this one but perhaps someone can help me.I am a 43 years old woman, normal weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. I fainted without any apparent reasons and without any warnings. I was extremely tired for weeks after that.An ECG was ordered and came back positive. Then I did a stress test which also came back positive. The two tests were over a month a part. On the stress test, the cardiologist that read it wrote "Cardiovascular disease present: and "Ischemia" and precribed Nitro in spray in case I experienced any symptoms. I have experienced on occasion pain in my chest, jaw and arm. I have had to take the Nitro twice and it worked well. I went to see a cardiologist and he didn't seemed too concerned. I have 2 lesions on my brain due to possible MS or Stroke. He asked me if I was in menopause or pre-menoposal and I sais no. I have heart disease in my family: grand father died of massive heart attack in his early 40, my grand mother died of heard attack in her 60s and my mother had 3 strokes and her first one at 52. He told me that a woman my age that is not in her menopose and with heart disease is extremely rare and he didn't think that I had anything to worry about. He is not concerned about my test results as he said that they were most likely false positive and that this is really common. He said that the pain I experienced could be eosophagus cramps which can cause the same symptoms as heart pain and that Nitro can also relieve this pain and that my pain was probably not related to my heart but if taking the Nitro helped me, I could continue to take it as it couldn't cause any problems to take it.

He ordered a CT Scan with dye and said that if it was negative, then it meant that I didn't have heard disease for sure and that if it was positive then we would see as this test also give a lot of false positive.

If anyone could provide any insight, I would really appreciate it.
Thank you,

[BUTTERFLY2714]

Thank you for your feedback, I agree, his comment rubed me the wrong way as well.  I would really like to believe that there is nothing there as he suggested but as you said, I lost consciousness, has ischemia (found on both tests) and had 2 positive tests, ECG and Stress test.  Can I ignore all of that?

I haven't heard anything about the CT scan yet but I doubt that they put me as a priority so I could be in for a long wait. I will post when I hear back from them.

Many thanks for the feedback it gave me some confidance and I now think that perhaps I should pay attention to this regardless of what he told me.

[BUTTERFLY2714]

Thank you for your comment, I plan on requesting the blood test that determines if women are pre-menopausal to be on the safe side.

Take care!

[ireneo]

Quote:  "He told me that a woman my age that is not in her menopose and with heart disease is extremely rare and he didn't think that I had anything to worry about."

This comment of his just rubs me the wrong way. Not all women are the same and with your family history, he should be taking your symptoms more seriously. You fainted, you had an ECG and stress test that showed some ischemia. I don't think esophageal spasms show on a treadmill. :-p  

Have you had the CT scan yet? Do follow up with that. I'm not wishing any bad news for you but that cardio was pretty blase about your health. Kind of messes up any confidence I would have in him.

[Mean_Kitty]

I know about your heart, but if you are 43 years old you are definatly pre menopausal.  That could be some of the problem.