Paplitations, when are they normal?

[erijon]

I am a 50 year old male, no familiy history of CAD, controlled HP (110/70), good cholesterol numbers (TC151, LDL58 & HDL 40) and no real risk factors other than being 50 pounds overweight. I can remember as a small child feeling the compensory pause between an early beat an the next beat so I've had these all my life. Because I mentioned some mid chest pain in Feb 2005 to my family doctor, he sent me to a cardiologist to be checked out. I've had an echo, nuclear stress test and blood work each of the past three years, all normal. In fact, last year in August when I saw the cardiologist to go over the most recent results she said I really did not need a cardiologist any longer as everything looked good, my tests have all been normal and I was not having symtpoms any more since they removed my gallbladder in 2006 which was full of gallstones along with controlling my reflux. My echo was called normal altough I had some enlargement of the left atrium, which she said was not really significant diagnosticly and I should watch out for LVH in the future as I was at 1.2 cm which my lab called the high end of normal. All valves showed no insufficiencies or regurgitation and were normal structuturaly and my pulmonary pressures were normal.

I mentioned these palpitations to both my doctor and cardiologist who both said they were just PVC's and since my heart structure was normal they were benign. Also, they come on at different times, at rest mostly and I can almost always make them go away with exercise (I work out on a treadmill 60 minutes per day, everyday and have lost 60 pounds). I still only feel the pause, not the next beat.

These are really not dibilitating in any way and I have no other symptoms when they occur, but is there any way to eliminate them? Is there anything else I could be doing to stop them and do they sound like they are a serious health issue as I have had them all my life?

Thanks for you input.

Jon

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

Jon,
I am a CCF trained doctor but am in practice in North Carolina now, just so you know.

In situation like yours, the goal is reassurance that these are not dangerous.  There are not a medications or herbals that are shown to safely decrease there numbers.  Many people have them and ask the same questions, there is unfortunately no magic bullet to get rid of them.

They do not sounds serious.  Based on the information you provided, your doctors sound like they are giving good advice.

Thanks for posting.

[erijon]

I should probably also mention I feel these worse when I bend forward or right after eating.

thanks,

Jon