Aa
Confused about biotel heart monitor results
I have a preliminary diagnosis of POTS and I am scheduled for a tilt table soon. I was in the ER recently for palpitations - had an echo, ecg, telemetry monitor, chest X ray - all was perfect except the orthostatic issue and sinus tachycardia which got better with ativan and metoprolol (I was there 24 hours)..
My monitor results say normal sinus rhythm, no AF, no pauses, and also 'no correlations between patient symptoms and the arrhythmic findings'. It is however saying 'frequent' pvcs, pacs and even atrial couplets. I pressed the button almost 100 times over the week. My heart is structurally normal, but I am feeling very concerned again. I don't know what to make of these findings.
The doctor now is giving me calcium channel blockers and says I may need an ablation. Doesn't an ablation make POTS worse (the doctor i saw today seemed ignorant about POTS)?
Thanks
My monitor results say normal sinus rhythm, no AF, no pauses, and also 'no correlations between patient symptoms and the arrhythmic findings'. It is however saying 'frequent' pvcs, pacs and even atrial couplets. I pressed the button almost 100 times over the week. My heart is structurally normal, but I am feeling very concerned again. I don't know what to make of these findings.
The doctor now is giving me calcium channel blockers and says I may need an ablation. Doesn't an ablation make POTS worse (the doctor i saw today seemed ignorant about POTS)?
Thanks
COMMUNITY LEADER
Short answer: No.
Ablations are fairly safe and effective and reducing ectopic burden which could help your symptoms.
Ablations are fairly safe and effective and reducing ectopic burden which could help your symptoms.
3 Comments
I just spoke with another doctor who said if I can control it with medication, an ablation isn't needed. Thanks for your input!
No worries!
He’s not wrong! Most people don’t “need” an ablation. Depending on the burden and source of the PVC’s. At least not to remain healthy in the long term.
Most people however do ultimately “need” an ablation if they want more durable symptom relief. More accurately, 70% of people need One ablation and about 30% need two ablations to get the job done.
If you have a physician that’s willing to consider an ablation you may want to keep that doctors card handy.
You could tough it out of course, if the PVCs are benign. However many are simply unable to live with the prospect of having symptoms like this long term.
Medications are only modestly effective, with a few key exceptions. A sequence of two ablations is the only treatment with an extremely high degree of success in elimination of an abnormal ectopic burden.
What I’m getting at here is there are people who actually WANT ablations to get rid of symptoms and are unable to find a physician willing to perform one on account of the procedure costs and lack of a significant enough burden.
He’s not wrong! Most people don’t “need” an ablation. Depending on the burden and source of the PVC’s. At least not to remain healthy in the long term.
Most people however do ultimately “need” an ablation if they want more durable symptom relief. More accurately, 70% of people need One ablation and about 30% need two ablations to get the job done.
If you have a physician that’s willing to consider an ablation you may want to keep that doctors card handy.
You could tough it out of course, if the PVCs are benign. However many are simply unable to live with the prospect of having symptoms like this long term.
Medications are only modestly effective, with a few key exceptions. A sequence of two ablations is the only treatment with an extremely high degree of success in elimination of an abnormal ectopic burden.
What I’m getting at here is there are people who actually WANT ablations to get rid of symptoms and are unable to find a physician willing to perform one on account of the procedure costs and lack of a significant enough burden.
It is definitely an elective procedure in most PVC cases.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
