| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| Elevated Blood Pressure | 7/24/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: My question is sometimes my blood pressure elevates from a normal reading to extremely high numbers ...
A: Heart-related only in that sustained peaks of blood pressure may strain the heart, but peaks lasting ...
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| pain behind left ear | 7/24/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Dr. Richardson, I am a 58 year old female and have atrial fibrillation and recently developed ...
A: It seems insignificant to me, too. It's not coronary blockage; coronary pain is brought on by ...
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| ectopics | 7/23/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I have had occasional afib for 8 years, and 2-3 episodes of SVT in the first year but apparently not ...
A: Yes. See ...
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| EKG results: 1st degree, septal infarct | 7/23/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Dr Richardson, I found your answer to a question about 'Septal Infarct' on an EKG. ...
A: Elaine, Q in V1 and V2 is normal, 90 %, i think, because often the chest leads are placed too high ...
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| tachy arrythmia | 7/23/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: i am 44 and had a sincope episode twice. was out for over 20 mins. I had a hard time getting ...
A: Totally unconscious for 20 minutes doesn't sound like heart. Did he perchance feel your pulse or ...
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| Why are PVC's and PAC's Normal? Can potassium supplements block PVC's and PAC's | 7/22/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Dr. Richardson: I have read a multitude of your answers about PVC's and PAC's being normal cardiac ...
A: There's no good explanation of why half of have PVC's or PAC's and the other half don't. There's no ...
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| Abnormal EKG/T wave inversion V1,V2,V3 | 7/22/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Richardson... I've had an abnormal EKG since I was 25...am now 45. I was diagnosed at 15 with MVP ...
A: Pam, it's perfectly possible that the technician always puts the leads too high. Mitral prolapse ...
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| Afib | 7/21/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Our last communication we discussed that I take flecainide before being cardioconverted. Did not ...
A: Sorry about the recurrence. Ask about propafenone, which isn't associated with arrhythmia. ...
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| Very labile blood pressure | 7/21/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I have had labile blood pressure for about 3 years, driven mainly by anxiety according to my doctor ...
A: Please consider adding hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg a day and an angiotensin receptor blocker like ...
|
| Slow Heart Rate? | 7/20/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I am a 43 year old female, 5'5", 150 lbs and have noticed the last two weeks that my heart rate has ...
A: Low levels of potassium can also cause fatigue. But your fatigue is not likely to come from ...
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| Chest Pains | 7/20/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I have had pains on the left side of my chest for about 6 days. The pain is constant throughout the ...
A: The most common cause of chest pain in a young woman is cramping of muscles between and around ribs. ...
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| Stress Test Results | 7/19/2008 | Frank J. Pearl, M.D. |
Q: I had a stress test recently because of abnormal ecg and high blood pressure. The cardiologist sent ...
A: The stress test sounds normal with probable breast and diaphragmatic attenuation. The LVH is most ...
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| Feeling of Skipped Hearteat then a double beat. | 7/19/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I am a 45 year old male who is 6 foot and 225 pounds with a BMI of 24. I quit smoking in March. In ...
A: Skipped beats tend to slowly subside, usually in 10 years or so. There are medicines more effective ...
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| Echocardiogram: biatrial dilation and normal ventricles | 7/19/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I had an echo on Jun 8 the with these results and the following: "Echo cardiogram also shows ...
A: The echo shows no significant problems. Near syncope is a problem, which the Holter didn't clarify. ...
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| Feeling of Skipped Hearteat then a double beat. | 7/19/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I am a 45 year old male who is 6 foot and 225 pounds with a BMI of 24. I quit smoking in March. In ...
A: Skipped heart beats are normal cardiac activity, normal in the senses that about half of us have ...
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| Nitro pills | 7/19/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I had a heart attack April 23, 2008. I have 3 stents - main artery, left and right. I take Zocor ...
A: Heart-related pain is usually brought on by exercise or strong unpleasant emotion and relieved ...
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| skipped beats | 7/18/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: First of all, thank you for this service. I've read your comments many times about how PAC's, PVC's ...
A: Sure, mention it to your cardiologist. If your LVEF is over 50%, PVC's are no threat even with a ...
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| HEART PAIN | 7/18/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I HAD A FULL CARDIO WORK UP BETWEEN SEPT 07 AND FEB 08 INCLUDING NUCLEAR STRESS TEST , 24 HOUR ...
A: Matt, If the dizziness is vertigo, that is you feel like you're spinning round and round or the room ...
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| HEART PAIN | 7/17/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I HAD A FULL CARDIO WORK UP BETWEEN SEPT 07 AND FEB 08 INCLUDING NUCLEAR STRESS TEST , 24 HOUR ...
A: The most common cause of sharp chest pains is cramping of muscles between and around ribs. You can ...
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| curing heart blockage without angioplasty | 7/16/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: My mom recently had Angiography and results showed that she is having 60% and 95 % blockage in the ...
A: The only indication for angioplasty is heart pain she doesn't want to put up with. Treatment with ...
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| heart beat | 7/16/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: im a 15 year old 145 pound swimmer, a few weeks ago i was laying on my couch and i had these two or ...
A: Not serious. Heavy heart beats are the beats after a skipped beat, which are no threat to life or ...
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| Angina Symptoms in 22 year old | 7/15/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I am a 22 year old male (5'11, 175 lbs) who for the past four months has been experiencing chest ...
A: Angina at rest in a 22 year old man can be spasm of a coronary artery. I hope the event monitor ...
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| 64-slice CT scan | 7/15/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: My dr. wants me to have an angiogram although a regular (not 64-slice) CT scan showed zero plaque. ...
A: Neither a CT scan or an angiogram show the mitral valve condition well. Echocardiogram is best for ...
|
| missing heart beat | 7/14/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: i am 71yrs. undergone bypass12years back. doctors after echo told me pumping 30%blood only. diabetic ...
A: Your note indicates that you are doing well. Please continue unless your cholesterol is above 190, ...
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| Irregular heartbeat | 7/14/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I have noted that I have an irregular heartbeat. As a Firefighter/EMT, I have always been aware of ...
A: None of what you describe sounds bad. I see no reason to be concerned unless you should faint ...
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| heart palpitations | 7/13/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I'm a 22 year old female and have been having heart palpitations since i was about 16. They usually ...
A: No, it's not possible that you had a heart attack. The usual cause of QS in V1 and V2 is placement ...
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| tachy arrythmia | 7/13/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: i am 44 and had a sincope episode twice. was out for over 20 mins. I had a hard time getting ...
A: Resch, Not enough info. Were you standing, sitting or lying? Did anyone observe you while you ...
|
| Abnormal EKG/T wave inversion V1,V2,V3 | 7/13/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Richardson... I've had an abnormal EKG since I was 25...am now 45. I was diagnosed at 15 with MVP ...
A: Sure, your EKG is probably normal for you. Maybe it's read as abnormal because the leads were ...
|
| breathless when lying down | 7/12/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: My husband is breathless when lying down but only for about 30 seconds. He walks to the kitchen and ...
A: Dragt, Heart is much more likely. He should tell a doctor about this. If you can't afford a ...
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| Chest discomfort | 7/12/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I weight 165, I am 5’11 and my blood pressure is good I had it tested two weeks ago. For years now I ...
A: The most common cause of chest pain like yours is cramping of the muscles between the ribs, a normal ...
|
| chest pain | 7/11/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: About 4 months ago I moved to a new area, living in a basement apartment. After about a week I ...
A: The most common cause of chest pain is cramping of muscles between ribs, a big nuisance but not a ...
|
| test | 7/11/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: i was wondering if they can tell if you have heart valve problem with ekg and with a ultrasound of ...
A: Chris, some afib runs in families that have one or more base pairs in their genes altered, a ...
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| test | 7/11/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: i was wondering if they can tell if you have heart valve problem with ekg and with a ultrasound of ...
A: Echo is best for valves. It shows the structure and function of each of the 4 valves in great ...
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| heart question | 7/11/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I'm 25 years-old, 5'5", 100 lbs., blod pressure always around 102-120/70. I have been having pain ...
A: Heart trouble at age 25 with normal echo and EKG is EXTREMELY unlikely, practically impossible. ...
|
| heart Cath | 7/10/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I just turned 36 yrs old and had a nuclear stress test today due waking up at night with the feeling ...
A: Miller, Yes, false positive pictures are very common, more than 50% at your age and with no chest ...
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| coronary calcium score | 7/9/2008 | Frank J. Pearl, M.D. |
Q: My lipid test done 10/23/2007 showed total cholesterol 218, Trig 218, HDL 58 and LDL 136. I have ...
A: Given that you have early coronary artery disease, your cholesterol is too high. Your LDL should be ...
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| Palpitations | 7/9/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: You have answered a PVC question for me already and thanks for that. I have a new situation the ...
A: Yes, please don't worry when PVC's occur. Since you have normal EKG's and echoes, they are no threat ...
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| heart palpitations | 7/9/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: Please help. I am 37, 5'8, 165 lb female with no blood pressure problems. I have had several EKGs ...
A: Doesn't sound dangerous, since you have normal EKG's and presumably the stress tests showed normal ...
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| Palpitations | 7/9/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: You have answered a PVC question for me already and thanks for that. I have a new situation the ...
A: SVT lasts many minutes to hours and stops very abruptly, in one heart beat. If your heart rate was ...
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| heart question | 7/8/2008 | David Richardson |
Q: I'm 25 years-old, 5'5", 100 lbs., blod pressure always around 102-120/70. I have been having pain ...
A: Gall stones or pancreatitis are more likely than heart to cause upper abdominal and back pain. ...
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