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stress test results - mild ischemia with ST depressions and PVC's
A recently had a stress test and was told by me pcp that it was "fine". I just purchased long term health care insurance and was advised by the company that my premiums would be higher than originally quoted due to a medical history of "mild ischemia with ST depressions and PVC's". Will you please explain this information in laymans terms. Should I be concerned and should I follow up with my pcp?
Thank you
Thank you
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
belbil,
Insurance companies use complex algorithms using multiple different factors to determine the insurability of their clients. At some point, either in the records that your insurance company reviewed or through testing that your insurance company performed you had an ECG with the reading of "mild ischemia with ST depressions and PVC's".
As noted previously, PVC stands for premature ventricular contraction. The beating of the heart is controlled by an electrical system which helps the heart to beat in a coordinated manner. The electrical signals typically go from the top of the heart to the bottom of the heart; however, occasionally, the bottom of the heart beats first which is not in the typical order (hence the term premature). These are very common and almost everyone will have an occasional PVC. In almost all patients, these PVC are of no significance and warrant no further treatment or testing.
Your ECG was also read as having mild ischemia. Ischemia can produce a characteristic pattern on the ECG which at some point someone described. In the absence of any symptoms, this finding typically is not of concern but may have been why your primary care physician ordered the stress test.
I would discuss the findings with your primary care physician at your next appointment. He/She will be able to talk to you with greater detail about any symptoms that you may or may be having, evaluate your ECG and reevaluate the results of the stress test that you had performed.
Insurance companies use complex algorithms using multiple different factors to determine the insurability of their clients. At some point, either in the records that your insurance company reviewed or through testing that your insurance company performed you had an ECG with the reading of "mild ischemia with ST depressions and PVC's".
As noted previously, PVC stands for premature ventricular contraction. The beating of the heart is controlled by an electrical system which helps the heart to beat in a coordinated manner. The electrical signals typically go from the top of the heart to the bottom of the heart; however, occasionally, the bottom of the heart beats first which is not in the typical order (hence the term premature). These are very common and almost everyone will have an occasional PVC. In almost all patients, these PVC are of no significance and warrant no further treatment or testing.
Your ECG was also read as having mild ischemia. Ischemia can produce a characteristic pattern on the ECG which at some point someone described. In the absence of any symptoms, this finding typically is not of concern but may have been why your primary care physician ordered the stress test.
I would discuss the findings with your primary care physician at your next appointment. He/She will be able to talk to you with greater detail about any symptoms that you may or may be having, evaluate your ECG and reevaluate the results of the stress test that you had performed.
Seems the cardiologists are having lots of patients these days, they usually answer really quickly. I'm just a layman myself, but I can try to explain the terminology:
I'm only explaining the terminology, this is not a diagnosis. You'll have to discuss that with the doctors, and stress test may have false positives.
Ischemia: Lack of oxygen, in this setting the heart muscle "starve" probably caused by narrowed coronary arteries.
ST segment depression: The EKG sign of ischemia. I don't know if you've seen an EKG, if you haven't, you can google "QRS complex" and look at the pictures. The ST segment is the area after the big spike, the QRS complex, and before the final "bump" representing the T wave. If the coronary arteries are narrowed and less able to supply the heart muscle (not the heart, but it's musculature) with blood, the ST segment is lowered. Actually, it's often the rest of the EKG that is elevated (the "flatline" between the beats), because starving heart cells aren't able to hold their current, but the EKG machine automaticly sets this segment as "baseline", and the ST segment appears lowered.
PVC: Premature ventricular complex. A heartbeat that isn't initiated where it's supposed to, high up in the heart, at the so-called sinus node. All heart cells are able to spontanously produce electricity. They are like domino bricks. If one falls, they all will. The sinus node is your finger initiating the fall. A PVC is an unstable brick that falls and trigger all the other bricks.
Ischemia can make the heart cells irritable and more likely to "fall", initiating PVCs. Of course, PVCs can be caused by lots of other conditions than ischemia, adrenaline can make the cells irritable as well (just to mention another common cause for PVCs).
I hope this was somewhat helpful, and I hope you will get a better answer from the cardiologist here. He/she can also help you with the clinical relevance of this, I can only explain the terminology, as I'm just a member of the communities here, like you.
I'm only explaining the terminology, this is not a diagnosis. You'll have to discuss that with the doctors, and stress test may have false positives.
Ischemia: Lack of oxygen, in this setting the heart muscle "starve" probably caused by narrowed coronary arteries.
ST segment depression: The EKG sign of ischemia. I don't know if you've seen an EKG, if you haven't, you can google "QRS complex" and look at the pictures. The ST segment is the area after the big spike, the QRS complex, and before the final "bump" representing the T wave. If the coronary arteries are narrowed and less able to supply the heart muscle (not the heart, but it's musculature) with blood, the ST segment is lowered. Actually, it's often the rest of the EKG that is elevated (the "flatline" between the beats), because starving heart cells aren't able to hold their current, but the EKG machine automaticly sets this segment as "baseline", and the ST segment appears lowered.
PVC: Premature ventricular complex. A heartbeat that isn't initiated where it's supposed to, high up in the heart, at the so-called sinus node. All heart cells are able to spontanously produce electricity. They are like domino bricks. If one falls, they all will. The sinus node is your finger initiating the fall. A PVC is an unstable brick that falls and trigger all the other bricks.
Ischemia can make the heart cells irritable and more likely to "fall", initiating PVCs. Of course, PVCs can be caused by lots of other conditions than ischemia, adrenaline can make the cells irritable as well (just to mention another common cause for PVCs).
I hope this was somewhat helpful, and I hope you will get a better answer from the cardiologist here. He/she can also help you with the clinical relevance of this, I can only explain the terminology, as I'm just a member of the communities here, like you.
Folks,
I had pain on the left side of my heart for so long, I just knew it had some type of heart problem. I have had several tests, even with a heart specialists.What I found out that I was Gluten Intolerant. Once I did away with all wheat products, after several days the pain became more tolerable and after a few months it has subsided greatly. However, I have found that even after a long period of time once eating wheat products again will bring back the pain on the left side. I would say to have a gluten test, but it must be hard to determine if you are alergic to wheat products. I don't want to go into that. Just stay away from bread for a few days to a couple of weks and see if your pain doesn't decrease.
I had pain on the left side of my heart for so long, I just knew it had some type of heart problem. I have had several tests, even with a heart specialists.What I found out that I was Gluten Intolerant. Once I did away with all wheat products, after several days the pain became more tolerable and after a few months it has subsided greatly. However, I have found that even after a long period of time once eating wheat products again will bring back the pain on the left side. I would say to have a gluten test, but it must be hard to determine if you are alergic to wheat products. I don't want to go into that. Just stay away from bread for a few days to a couple of weks and see if your pain doesn't decrease.
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