How do I stop my heart from skipping beats?

Question

Hi doctor,

I recently had two electrocardiograms revealing an early repolarization pattern. My doctor did not mention anything but found out on the internet that this increases the chances of sudden death. Also, I have some feeling of skipped beats from time to time which makes me feel very anxious. My echocardiogram was fine, and I have done a cardiac MRI, which shows nothing. Is there a way to send you some ECGs to have your second opinion?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

This is called benign early repolarization (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). It is normally present in 10-15% of the population. It is of no significance and needs no treatment. Some studies suggest that cardiac arrest is a little more common in patients with benign early repolarization compared with those without in case they have a heart attack, and also mortality is slightly more in those with benign early repolarization as compared to those without in case they develop cardiac arrest. So looking at the incidence of heart attack and cardiac arrest, this risk is statistically very small and should not be a reason to worry, and stress is more harmful. Regarding chest pain, it is not cardiac as pain lasting for seconds is never cardiac. Your echocardiography and MRI are normal, which means structural heart diseases are excluded.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

No, BER (benign early repolarization) with PVCs (premature ventricular contraction) does not make the prognosis worse. PVCs are of concern only in the case of ischemic heart disease (previous heart attack and angina), left ventricular dysfunction, other structural heart diseases, and family history of cardiac arrest. Your heart is normal as your echocardiography and MRI are normal. So, relax, and some PVCs do normally occur in healthy peoples.