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Sick sinus syndrome and afib

snak3eyes profile image
18 Replies

ECG holter mounted to investigate afib.

Results arrived and the holter software printed:

ARRHYTHMIA

Arrhythmias (Delay > 140%): 39

-longest: 1.96s at 11:35 PM

Bradycardias (<50 1/min): 353

-slowest: 43 min at 4:25 AM

Pauses (>2000ms): 498

-longest: 14.56 s at 7:25 AM

I'm concerned about the Pauses section. Does this mean a pacemaker implant option must to be taken into consideration ?

Can a pacemaker better control or even prevent AFib ?

Note: holter ecg results have been reviewed by my cardiologist who said it's nothing to worry about. I don't trust my doctor.

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snak3eyes
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18 Replies
BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Not sure about the numbers. If my heart paused for 14.56 seconds I would have passed out I'm sure.

A PM may be suggested but of course these don't generally stop AF.

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to BobD

The holter device also did catch 25 min of afib. But it doesn't mention the hour/minute when the afib took place.

Would it be possible for holter devices to have troubles reading heart pauses during an afib event, making the 14 seconds pause measurement invalid ?

It's worrying to know that the heart didn't beat for 14 seconds straight.

My next cardiologist appointment is on 11th of October. I don't know what to do until then.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer in reply to snak3eyes

Seriously I think if it had stopped that long you would know! I go dizzy if mine stops for two seconds!

Hi! I would have one question, a little off the compass... I just read your post from 2 months ago. How is mom? Did she have further problems with AF or any other kind of arrhythmia?

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to

Thank you SteelHeart for asking.

It's hard. During the past 2 months we fought with high blood pressure, besides afib.She has high bp especially at night time.

I suspect her nocturnal high bp to be one of the culprit for afib so I wanted to get this in check.

Doctor prescribed her some antihypertensive drugs but still she has a hard time keeping the bp in normal range.

Regarding afib episodes, I think she has them and she doesn't always know it.

24 hour ecg holter did catch a 25 min afib episode. she said she didn't feel anything unusual.

Or like yesterday, when she felt some chest discomfort . Her heart was pounding with a heart rate of 80-90 bpm (her usual resting pulse sits at 55bpm, even lower). She didn't feel much besides the chest pain.

I don't know how often she has them. Still trying to find a good doctor who pays a bit of attention.

bantam12 profile image
bantam12

A 14 second pause you would definitely have passed out ! It's highly likely you still had a beat but it just wasn't picked up. I had a pacemaker fitted for very symptomatic pauses of 5 seconds.

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to bantam12

If it happens during sleep, in this case could a 14s heart pause go unnoticed ?

bantam12 profile image
bantam12 in reply to snak3eyes

I can't say but anything over 3-5 seconds should at least be investigated.

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to bantam12

would you believe me if I tell you that 2 cardiologists wrote down the conclusions on the holter results print, right beneath the line where it states the14s pause, they wrote

"no arrhythmia detected and no sinus pauses over 200 ms were found"

in fact, they were baffled why did we request an ecg holter because the results are perfect and there is nothing to worry about.

bantam12 profile image
bantam12 in reply to snak3eyes

Unfortunately we aren't qualified to interpret the full results so if you are worried then maybe another opinion is your best option. Good luck.

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

Maybe we are not qualified to understand techie language?

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to Buffafly

I didn't see them looking over the holter results. They said they analyzed the whole thing before I walked in the doctor's office but I don't think they even had a glimpse at the report.

Jock68 profile image
Jock68

I had a 9 second pause and I did not pass out but I was seated and relaxing. But I am now on the waiting list for a two wire pacemaker. Two ablations have not fixed the AF, I passed out 3 days after the second ablation. my rate sits at 46/48 normally and I am now thinking what pacing rate will be setup in the pacemaker as I am sure that my rate lowers when I go to sleep.

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to Jock68

Hi Jock. I 'm sad to hear your struggle. Don't give up!

Are you going in for a 3rd ablation ? Do you know if the ablation is easier or harder when pacemaker is implanted ?

Jock68 profile image
Jock68 in reply to snak3eyes

It sounds like they are going to look for an alternative to another Ablation, need to wait until I have my Pacemaker installed before I find out what approach they want to take.

Cheers

Mrwoo profile image
Mrwoo

In short terms...my pacemaker fills in the pauses, but still need medication to control the arrythmias I react badly to this correcting medication, (tried everything mentioned on here) but at last have a combination that is kinder and simply doing the job better ! Sotalol 80 mgms twice a day with Digoxin 125 once a day plus blood thinning Apixaban twice a day.

snak3eyes profile image
snak3eyes in reply to Mrwoo

have you had an ablation with the pacemaker implanted ?

Mrwoo profile image
Mrwoo in reply to snak3eyes

Yes. I had it done a year after the pacemaker insertion. After a while had further episodes of Afib/flutter and very fast flutter just before last Xmas. Was in hospital. Trial and error on Verapamil etc but couldnt cope with side effects and latest regime suits me better. I have since got used to the medication and doing okay. Almost back to my usual pace of life! Breathless at times. I have been involved in sport most of my life but I now accept this happens. I don't want the nodal ablation discussed if I can help it.

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