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Should I ask more questions?

Hi everyone,
Over the summer, I was hospitalized for a perianal abscess and while I was there, I experienced chest pain. My EKG was "textbook" but the following day they did a chemical stress test. The test showed that one side of my heart got weaker when my blood pressure increased. The day after that, they did a cardiac catheterization (sp?) that showed no blockages. I was sent home and everything was fine. When I went for my follow-up with the cardiologist, it was a 5-minute visit (maybe) and he said I didn't have any blockages and there wasn't anything to worry about.

Nobody ever told me why my heart got weaker when my blood pressure increased. What does that mean, and should I get a second opinion?

THANKS! :-)
Julie
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63984 tn?1385437939

The fact that you had a heart catherization that found no blockages should give you a lot of comfort, as Jerry stated, it is the gold standard used by Cardiologists.  That said, I disagree with Jerry, my experiences with nuclear stress tests has been quite accurate, and in fact, life-saving.  

I'd suggest to you and anyone having a heart procedure to request the procedure reports.  You are entitled to them, they are usually available from the institution where they were done.  It could be, and this is just a guess, that what is called your Ejection Fraction (EF) was a little low, or you have a mild valve issue.  There are people on this board that can help you understand the results.  Keep us informed.
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612551 tn?1450022175
What was the reason for a Chemical Stress Test, not the usual work on a treadmill to get up to the desired heart rate?  

In my experience a nuclear stress test, done with a treadmill exercise to elevate my heart rate, is not accurate.  I don't recall ever being told one side of my heart was "weak" but that may be a stress test indicator of a blockage in the heart blood supply.  But the catheter "said" no blockage and that test is very accurate in my understanding.
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