A very good friend of mine , after tests, was told that she may have heart problems. She is to see a heart specialist next week. Her Doctor informed her that her heart was beating slower than normal and that it occassionly missed beats. How serious is this? What are the treatments? My thoughts and prayers are with her.
2006-06-19 12:06:22 · 8 answers · asked by sukcorb 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
i have delt with thousands of patients with a slow heart rate(bradycardia) and it most cases it causes no inconvenience to the person life style or health,, there is simple medication available that will encourage the heart to pump at a normal rate..
a pace maker is a last resort for most patients and usually for the over forties..
having said that a lot depends on what is causing the problem and how slow is the heartbeat.... a heart beat of 60-80 pm is normal for a adult at rest but some athletic people have a heart rate of 40 bpm at rest
the heart is a complex organ and has many safety features built into it,, the initial beat comes from the s.a node at the top of the right atrium and sends a signal via the punjibe fibres to encourage the ventricles (lower heart chambers)to contract and pump the blood through the body,, however if the sa. node fails for any reason the heart can fire of the signal to beat at two lower locations and get the same result,, poss this is where your friends missing beat comes into play,, im sure her doctor will do what is required and you try not to worry about your friend im sure she will be fine ... keep smiling
2006-06-19 22:11:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can be quite serious. A low hear rate can cause numerous problems, a big one being hypoxia, or a low level of oxygen in the blood and brain. A heart rate where there is an occasional missed beat isn't a big problem, but it may be the sign of a problem that's just beginning. I think that going to see a cardiologist is a great idea.
2006-06-20 17:53:34 · answer #2 · answered by beccabotkin2002 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If her electrical conductivity is off due to misfiring of the SA node then and she has heart block she may need a pacemaker which is a small battery operated device placed surgically right under the skin in the chest,however,there are many medications that are used to treat a slow heartbeat or an irregular heart beat.It is rare for a young person to have a pacemaker
2006-06-19 12:54:41 · answer #3 · answered by Elizabeth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is impossible to say without seeing her electocardiogram (ECG), and knowing what symptoms (if any) she has.
Slow heartbeat (bradycardia) without symptoms is usually not a problem.
If the heartbeat is too slow and she has problems with chest pain, dizziness, breathing problems, or other symptoms, she may require medications or a pacemaker.
The good news is that the cardiologist has seen this a million times before and will know exactly what to do to.
2006-06-20 14:06:43 · answer #4 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a 2nd degree heart block. If she is symptomatic such as passing out, fainting, short of breath, it may need to be treated.
2006-06-20 10:37:33 · answer #5 · answered by happydawg 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on what the problem is, it can range from totally harmless to lifethreatening (most likely this will turn out to be fairly minor, my guess is that its just heartblock). youre just gonna have to wait and see what the cardiologist says
2006-06-19 12:12:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
talk to the heart dr but it sounds like its really serious
2006-06-19 12:12:10 · answer #7 · answered by Mark 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She might need a pacemaker.
2006-06-19 12:11:07 · answer #8 · answered by Lar-Bear 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋