I have a family history of HOCM. Is this something to worry?
Hi doctor,
I am a 25 year old woman. About three months ago, I started having ectopic beats and palpitations. It made me quite worried, because they were definitely something new. I have a family history of sudden death from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. So, I decided to have an echo and a 24 hour Holter monitor. The echo showed that structurally my heart is fine and according to the Holter monitor results I had dozens of PVCs (some of them were couplets), a few PACs and sinus tachycardia. My blood test results were normal, too. A couple of days later PVCs began to occur not only during rest, but also during exercise, which really scared me. One day while walking home, I had some kind of bigeminy (every other beat was abnormal) that almost took my breath away. Therefore, I wanted to get a stress test on a stationary bicycle just in case. I had some singular PVCs at an intensity level of 120 watts with the heart rate of 164 beats per minute. Is this something to worry about? My cardiologist said that the results do not suggest any heart disease, but I am still afraid to exercise anymore. What about multifocal PVCs, ventricular couplets and bigeminy in a structurally normal heart? Are they dangerous?
19 Feb 2024 - 1 min read
Are chest pain and breathing problem common in pregnancy?
Hi doctor,
I am 21 weeks pregnant. I am having chest and lung pain on the right side along with trouble to take a deep breath. I am suffering to catch my breath. I went to the ER and they did a blood test called D-dimer. It came back positive for a lung blood clot on the left side. But, the doctor said it could be false because of my pregnancy. Please help.
06 Feb 2024 - 1 min read
What changes have to be done to control BP?
Hi doctor,
My mother is 58 years old. She has high BP problem since last six years. She is taking Amlong-A tablet daily from then and everything was fine. For the last two months, she has been diagnosed with high BP three to four times. We went through all blood and urine tests. Once a few pus cells and some urine infection was reported, which got almost cured after taking antibiotics. But, fluctuations in BP are still there. Last week it rose to 150 on the upper side. My query is that, is the body stopped responding to current medicine since she has been taking it for the past six years? Or is there a need to increase the dose? Do we need to change the salt? Please suggest.
13 Dec 2023 - 1 min read
Can a recent malarial infection create an impact on the heart health of a 71-year-old male?
Hi doctor,
My father is 71 years old and recently got malaria (vivax), due to which his platelet counts dipped to 44000 mcL. In addition to blood tests, the doctor did an ECG as a routine procedure and found RBBB. The doctors said RBBB was not there in his ECG 10 years ago. During malarial shivers, his blood also seemed to have shown high levels of a cardiac enzyme, probably CPT. Now he is cured of malaria and is doing fine (platelets are 3.50 ×109/L now). Today, after two weeks, again, his ECG showed RBBB. My father never had any pain in the chest and is leading an active lifestyle. For RBBB, the doctors have prescribed one tablet of Clopidogrel 75 mg and one tablet of Atorvastatin 10 mg daily for the next six months. And they have asked him to come after six months for a review. In addition, my father has low blood pressure and prostatitis. However, I have a few questions. Is RBBB a condition that can lead to heart-related emergencies? What is RBBB exactly? Is it an artery clog? Or a fat deposition? Can Clopidogrel and Atorvastatin cure RBBB (without the need for surgery)? I read on the internet that Clopidogrel is usually prescribed for a maximum of 12 months. What happens if it is used beyond 12 months? Does the patient become addicted? Or is the platelet's function damaged? I have read on the internet that many healthy people also have RBBB and live with it without any problems or symptoms. Is it true? What further tests would you suggest, like cholesterol, CPT, troponin enzyme, etc., or any RBBB-specific tests? Is Atorvastatin also given a maximum to a period of one year? I have also attached the ECG picture for your reference. Kindly answer my questions.
10 Oct 2023 - 1 min read
Though my echo is normal, I still feel chest pain. What to do?
Hi doctor,
I am suffering from hiatal hernia. Now, I feel pain in my left hand, shoulder, chest and both sides of the shoulder blade. So, I consulted a cardiologist. He asked me to take an echo and it is normal. Still, I feel pain in the hand while working. When I was a child, I suffered with rheumatic fever and took antibiotics for five years.
21 Jul 2023 - 1 min read
