Does PAT attacks damage your heart long term?

[sctkk]

Hi I am a 44 year old mother of 5 and I was diagnosed with PAT when I was 12 years old.  I had really only had about 1 attack a year, but found that if I was nervous or stressed and mixed that with any sort of activity it would bring on an attack.  Just recently I have been having several attacks a day.  Sometimes it may only be a flutter, other times it will stop me in my tracks.  I am concerned that because they are so frequent that it is doing permanent damage to my heart.  Also does it make me more prone to a life threating heart condition later on in life.  Appreciate some feedback on the subject.

[MLadyBlu]

I was first diagnosed with PAT around 25 years ago. My doctor has put me on a drug called Propranalol twice a day. I have also found that stress will aggravate it, as will low intakes of water, not eating right and not getting the rest that I deserve. =o)

Hope that helps!

[jimswoodworking]

My wife has PAT if any doctors can tell me what thios is if it gets worse with age etc please email me at ***@****
Thanks
James Reeves
Ontario, Canada

[sctkk]

Thanks for your quick response to my concerns.  I have made an appointment to see my GP next week to discuss the matter and may have to take some medication, if only to make me feel more comfortable.  I have always been told that is was not life threatening but because I have had so many attacks as of late I began to worry.  Once again thank for putting my mind at ease.

[Ihatepalps2]

I think this is the first time Ive seen anyone post a question about PAT on here, and I watch for it!!
Its not all that common, I dont think. But my brother has it. Its Paroyxsmal Atrial Tachycardia.... He learned he had it when he was 17...he was an athlete, and would have episodes during football, basketball and baseball games, and didnt tell anyone...finally he mentioned it...and of course my parents were terrified..wouldnt let him play any more sports till it was checked out....his heart would race 180+ BPM. They tried so many times to get it on a monitor at the hospital--he would say it was happening, and in the car they would go, just to get there and find it had stopped. Finally, they got lucky, got it on a monitor. Sent him to a special cardiologist and they studied him... and pronounced it PAT, and said it is benign----it only gets worrisome if the heart races for a longer period of time. He went on to play all his sports in high school and college.
Hes now 44 yrs old. He very rarely has an episode--he is on a heart medication for it-and it controls it wonderfully--Lopressor. hes been on that for years.
He is a plumber, so has a very physically demanding job. He is in great shape, and during a stress test, the Dr said his heart is in excellent condition.
So, you are right, it would take the heart to race for a very very long time to cause any damage--he was told if it doesnt stop within a few hours, he needs to take himself to the ER...and they will stop it with meds. I think in all these years, 35 years...hes had to do that...maybe..3 or 4 times?
Anybody can correct me if Im wrong on any of this, but I do know he was told this this is not something to worry too much about. Something to remember, yes, something to tell that you have if you go to the Dr, yes...but not to worry too much about...
hope this helps!

[ireneo]

I've had PAT (also known as PSVT) for as long as I can remember. My first memory of it is in school when I was about 7 yo. I'm now 56. I've had the tachy episodes almost daily during my young adult years, sometimes lasting as long as 45 minutes with a rate of 150-198 bpm. The good news is my heart is in fine condition. Several years ago I had catheter ablations done to fix the PAT but my heart is a brat. I still have tachy times but they're brief, last less than a minute usually and they don't happen every day.

From what I've read it would take a higher heart rate (over 120) non-stop for months or years to cause some damage to the heart. This on and off quality of PAT seems to save the heart from any damage.

[Jerry_NJ]

Sorry, I don't know what "PAT" is, is it panic or is it something specifically to do the heart and rhythm?

In any case as your condition has become more of a problem, you should discuss with your doctor.