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How Critical is a Speedy Cardiologist Visit?
I am a 32 year old male in generally good health. I do not drink, smoke, or use drugs. I am taking Claritin for allergies and a daily vitamin. I recently felt fluttering in my chest, checked my pulse and found an irregular heartbeat. I went to a family doctor who performed an EKG that revealed an irregular beat. He scheduled me for a holter monitor and referred me to a cardiologist. I have been feeling more heart fluttering since then. I purchased a stethoscope and can hear the irregular beat. My heart beat sounds normal for about 20 beats, then there is a double beat and a pause before the cycle repeats. At the double beat is when I feel the fluttering sensation. The soonest the hospital can get me in for the holter monitor is almost a week from my family doctor visit. The soonest the cardiologist they referred me to can see a new patient is in three weeks. Should I try to find another cardiologist who can see me earlier?
Looks like a normal premature beat. That double peak you see in Lead 1 is from the atrium. I can't comment on the morphology.
These are almost always very benign. I know it's scary but you have about a 1:10,000 chance of having a life threatening arrhthmia (the same as everyone else) so you should turn your concern to getting in a car crash (which you are 20 times more likely to do) or to having lung cancer (which you are 4 times as likely to have). Those with premature beats have shown no increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
There could be something wrong with your heart. But if there is, it's probably not because of what you've experienced lately. The symptoms of scary stuff are either passing out or dying. Serious conditions don't tend to tease their victims like this.
Definitely get a workup. You can always fake a problem and go to the ER and demand to speak to the attending cardiologist. But I really don't think there is anything abnormal going on here.
These are almost always very benign. I know it's scary but you have about a 1:10,000 chance of having a life threatening arrhthmia (the same as everyone else) so you should turn your concern to getting in a car crash (which you are 20 times more likely to do) or to having lung cancer (which you are 4 times as likely to have). Those with premature beats have shown no increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
There could be something wrong with your heart. But if there is, it's probably not because of what you've experienced lately. The symptoms of scary stuff are either passing out or dying. Serious conditions don't tend to tease their victims like this.
Definitely get a workup. You can always fake a problem and go to the ER and demand to speak to the attending cardiologist. But I really don't think there is anything abnormal going on here.
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