Posted 3/31/2006 8:43 AM (GMT -6)
I have done some research, after reading your post this morning. I have looked at the connection existing between a prior heart attack and arrhythmias.
I was recently with my neurologist that was explaining the results of the brain MRI, I had had. There was a medical student in training with him. I showed the doc my stent cards. The location being marked as to what coronary artery and where, is depicted on a picture on the card. He showed the picture to the student and said the location of this stent is known to cause arrhythmias. The stents were new, and at that time, I could cause palps to occur just by laying down. I duplicated the palps for this neurologist. He said that they were dropped beats. They have since become much less frequent. It is a known fact that damage to certain areas of the heart can cause arrhythmias. You have had a heart attack and did receive some amount of damage to your heart muscle. Talk with your cardiologist about the true location of your damage. It should be on record if you have had an angiogram. He may can take a good guess as to what is causing and may can classify your abnormal rhythm. At least he could advise you on whether or not you would be a good candidate for catheter ablation.
Boy howdy I ^5 you on not taking the Ativan!!!!That's all you need to drag you down more! I was addicted to that stuff years ago. Here is some information and a link from/for our government medsite:
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An arrhythmia is any disorder of heart rate or rhythm.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Arrhythmias are caused by a disruption of the normal electrical conduction system of the heart. Normally, the 4 chambers of the heart (2 atria and 2 ventricles) contract in a very specific, coordinated manner. When the heart beats faster than normal, it is called tachycardia. Bradycardia is a slower-than-normal rhythm.
The electrical impulse that signals the heart to contract in a synchronized manner begins in the sinoatrial node (SA node), which is the body's natural pacemaker.
The signal leaves the SA node and travels through the 2 upper chambers (atria), stimulating them to contract. Then the signal passes through another node (the AV node), and finally, through the lower chambers (ventricles), stimulating them to contract in synchrony.
Problems can occur anywhere along this conduction system, causing various arrhythmias. There may be a problem in the heart muscle itself, causing it to respond differently to the signal, or causing the ventricles to contract independently of the normal conduction system.
Tachycardia that originates in the atria is called supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia when it originates in the ventricles. The most common supraventricular tachycardias are atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia.
Bradycardia is due either to altered pacemaker function of the SA node or an interrupted impulse conduction through the natural electrical pathways of the heart.
The incidence of tachycardia and bradycardia varies greatly, depending on the condition of the heart itself, the history of prior heart attack, blood chemistry imbalance, or endocrine abnormalities.
Arrhythmias may also be caused by some substances or drugs. These include beta blockers, psychotropics, sympathomimetics, caffeine, amphetamines, and cocaine. Sometimes antiarrhythmic medications -- prescribed to treat one type of arrhythmia -- can actually cause another type of arrhythmia.
Some types of arrythmias may be life-threatening if not promptly and adequately treated.
Symptoms
Fast or slow heart beat (palpitations)
Skipping beats
Fainting
Light-headedness, dizziness
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Changes in the rate, rhythm, or pattern of the pulse
Paleness
Sweating
Complications
Angina (chest pain caused by imbalance of supply and demand for oxygen in the heart muscle)
Heart attack
Heart failure
Stroke
Sudden death
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001101.htm
Good luck and see your cardiologist :)
Rj