ECG accuracy

[PurdyTamar]

ECG accuracy Enlarge Left Atrial - how accurate are ECG’s? I had an ECG two years ago and it was fine. Had one the other day as pre op and it said ‘possible enlarged left atrial’

Does this normally turn out to be positive? Thanks for help

[Hidden]

Sorry PurdyTamar, but ECG's are very complex and require a skill beyond most of us here to read and understand, many GP's would be challenged too. I would have thought a 12 lead ECG was likely to be accurate, but whether or not the information has been accurately interpreted is another matter. To what degree do you think your condition may have changed over the last 2 years? If you have had persistent, uncontrolled AF during this period, your heart may well be slightly enlarged, but if your AF is controlled, over time it is likely to return to near normal. What was the pre-op assessment for? I believe the most accurate way of finding out for certain is to have an echocardiogram......hope this helps

[PurdyTamar in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the reply x

The pre op was for an eye condition. I’ve never had a heart problem and going by the NhS website I don’t have any symptoms. It just really worrying me. I’m no good with this kind of stuff and my Dad died young with heart problems. He was 47. I’m 38 now. Is AF something that would be picked up on ecg and stethoscopes?

[Hidden in reply to PurdyTamar]

Yes, provided you were in AF at the time the ECG was carried out. There are 3 types of AF - persistent, permanent and paroxysmal. The first two you would be in AF all the time 24/7 and if your pulse is irregular, this could point to a number of different arrhythmias including AF. Paroxysmal is different in that you can be perfectly normal one minute then all of a sudden, AF kicks in and can last for variable amounts of time. If you click on the link below, you will be able to find much more helpful information.

heartrhythmalliance.org/afa...

From what you have said so far, it is impossible for us to predict what your situation is, the first thing you should do is make an appointment to see your doctor. Hopefully everything will be OK, and even if you do have AF, trust me, it is not the end of the world, but you do need to get it checked by your Doctor......good luck.

[BobD Volunteer]

If the ECG diagnosis was computer generated I would be sceptical of accepting it's veracity . Few doctors get it right unless trained cardiologists and frankly I can't see how an electrical examination can diagnose a physical condition. Echocardiogram (an ultrasound scan of your heart) yes but ECG no. These tests can also be quite subjective and one operator may consider slightly as moderately thus increasing confusion.

[etheral]

Don't take this as gospel, but in my thirty years of reading ekgs as avnEmergency Department Doc, I have never heard of being able to diagnose left atrial enlargement via EKG. However I would get an appointment with a cardiologist to make sure there is nothing to it.

[PurdyTamar in reply to etheral]

thanks x

[CDreamer in reply to etheral]

My thoughts exactly.

[PurdyTamar]

Thank you all. I’m going to see my GP tomorrow and discuss the possibility of the echo scan. I really appreciate the support on this x

[Ppiman]

As it was explained to me, the electrical activity of the heart is all that an ECG can show but since this activity can be affected by physical changes in the heart muscle, further tests, either an ultrasound echo-cardiogram or a stress cardiac MRI, might be called for.

Any arrhythmia, such as ectopic beats, flutter or fibrillation, would show only if it occurred while the ECG measurements were being taken.

Steve

[allserene]

As soon as they say "possible" I know they are guessing... A specialist diagnosed me 100% in writing, as having multiple sclerosis in 1998, but since then I have had a burning sensation in the shin, and same on my scalp for 6 weeks when I stayed up to watch trump's election in 2016.. Otherwise nothing, and had 20 years of fast motorbiking and climbing on my roof etc... They can often tell when we are dead, but everything else is negotiable...

[PurdyTamar in reply to allserene]

It’s the machine that has printed out ‘possible enlarged left atrial’ that’s why I’m 😟

[allserene in reply to PurdyTamar]

Machines are programmed by......... people.... The machine didn't say "possible", the programmer did.. It's like my credit rating gyrating every time I buy an expensive airline ticket. My creditworthiness never changes, but my credit rating does. My doctor is "possibly" a moron, as was Einstein......

[tunybgur]

Interpreting a 12 channel ECG is a highly specialised skill.

The diagnosis needs to be confirmed by an ultrasound scan, there may be nothing wrong at all, but best to be sure.

[PurdyTamar in reply to tunybgur]

Thanks. Doctor is sending me for echo on Wednesday

[PurdyTamar]

Hello, very relieved person here! I had my ECHO scan yesterday and it was all fine. No problems with my left atrial or anything else. Thanks for all the help.