Non sustained VT

[BlondieCO]

Hi,
I wrote a while back before tests. PVCs started 11 days after gallbladder surgery.  Began during PMS, lasted 10 days thru my cycle and ended with it.  Went to ER they said they were benign, had couplets, sometimes 30-40 PVCS an hour for 5-7 hours straight and then none.  My GP sent me to have tests done. Echo normal (mild regurg); stress excellent; then holter.  I wore the holter during the start of my next cycle and had only one event of PVCs, this was the only event I have had since the run of 10 days.  I was at my computer and felt a big "thunk," scared me, I got dizzy for the first time.  My GP said the holter showed a run of 11 non sustained PVCs?  He told me it could have caused sudden death and scared me to death.  He has put me on 25 mg of Atenolol a day and I have a referral to a cardio.  I finally found a website that says women get frequent PVCs premenstrually and during early menopause.  There HAS to be a link, it's the ONLY time I get them.  My question is will the Atenolol keep the run from happening again, I am very scared, I have two kids and I don't know how I can get only one event out of the blue like that. I don't drink caffiene, good amount of stress, but I am scared to exercise now.  The stress test did not bring on PVCs.

[BlondieCO]

Thanks Hank,
I have to admit going about my daily life is crazy now that my doc mentioned sudden death. The crazier part is my 24 hr monitor showed that one event of 11 ectopics in NSVT and NOTHING else.  I am just floored that this can all happen and that there are not enough concrete answers. Thanks, I wish you all luck with your PVCs.

[Gaspipe]

Please remember posting limits

[hankstar]

The first paragraph should read and even more rare is those that qualify for an ICD.

The second paragraph should read in an EP study just about anyone can be thrown into a-fib , VT, and even v-fib, it is not an end point.

[hankstar]

To all concerned about NSVT, I had a 5 beat run in 1987, back then it was taken a bit more seriously , yet a EP doc told me it was nothing to worry about, I did not feel it , yet I was awake when it occurred so I know these things that can happen and you don't feel it. It is nothing to be concerned about once all your test come back normal, it is a rare patient with NSVT without structural heart disease or abnormalities that requires and EP study and even more those that qualify for ICDs.

  Just about anyone can be thrown into VT, a-fib,and even V-fib, it is not an end point, it is are few that mee the criteria for an ICD without any structural abnormality.

In an EP to investigate atrail arrhythmias, you starts with the ventricles, to investigate ventricular arrhythmias one usually starts
with the atria, one would think it would be the other way around.

To dafan , usually my episodic PVCs act up in the morning myself,probably usually to due to some change in autonomic tone I suspect , everything gets to overdrive when upon awaking, maybe this is what is happening to you.

Look at it like the U.S. has an estinmated population of about 300 millions person if I iam not mistaken, about 350 to 500 thousand are estimated to suffer sudden cardiac death from arrhythmia, usually on autopsy about 80-90% are found to have severe undiagnosed coronary heart disease, the rest have HCM, ARVD, long qt or some other cardiac syndrome(rare) such as Brugada syndrome. That is is roughly two tenths of 1%, of the total population.

The chance of dropping dead from NSVT in a normal heart are just about nil, the same as the average population in general, of course it can happen to anyone after we are only human, but the chances are almost nil. Don't let "alarmist" doctors frighten anyone. I would say Dr, BKJ reply should be most reassuring to those that suffer with this.

[BlondieCO]

Erik,
Can you read my question about what is EP? I guess I will know tomorrow if I am getting that done. Sorry, I am just nervous, I thought I was ok.

[Erik36]

Barbie. You are exactly correct. An EP study can induce VT in almost anyone. The important thing is that the VT isn't sustained. The fact that your VT terminated itself means that it it is very unlikely you would have a sustained VT now which is great news. That's why I suggested that dafan seek an EP study for peace of mind.

dafan. Most Health Insurances should cover the EP study and any subsequent Ablations (if necessary). They may not be able to induce Sustained VT in you at all. The Beta Blocker will reduce the chance of you having any problems in the interim. I know they're scary I've had short runs of what I think was NSVT and it scared me too. I've never had more than 5 or 6 beats at a time and I've never had an EP study. I've have had a few stress tests that did not produce any arrhythmias. My Doctor said that if a stress test didn't induce VT then it would be unlikely for me to have an episode of Sustained VT. I haven't had any problems in a while. You should keep exercising, however, as this will reduce the likelihood of having any heart-related problems. Best of luck!

Erik