An Update after Echo Stress test

[ChasMartin]

Background, had 20 beat run of "possibly dangerous" NSVT at end of November, had stress echo ordered by cardiologist. Am in process of seeking ablation consult at the end of this month so was sidetracked.

Just heard from my doctor this morning about my stress test from Thursday. Let's start with my amazement that the doctor called me directly, himself, on a Saturday, meanwhile apologizing for calling me on a Saturday. This new hospital I am going to has been absolutely fantastic so far.

As they say, no news is good news, so the Saturday call with news of course wasn't good news, but not terrible either. I experienced no chest pain or any arrhythmias during the test, and stayed on treadmill for almost 20 bpm over the "target heart rate" they wanted me to reach. However, Dr tells me that he saw some subtle changes in the anterior wall and septum during stress.

The results page says:

1. Exercise stress echocardiogram is positive for inducible ischemia. This is an intermediate-risk stress test result.

2. Normal hemodynamic response to exercise, achieving 93% of maximum predicted heart rate during 7 min 0 sec of Bruce protocol. No chest pain.

3. No ischemic ECG changes with stress. 1 mm up-sloping ST depression in inferior and lateral leads.

4. Normal left ventricular wall motion at rest. Stress-induced anterior-septal hypokinesis.

5. Baseline echocardiogram showed normal left and right ventricular size and function, normal valve anatomy and function. The LA volume index is 34 mL/m2.

I haven't the faintest idea what most of this means, other than I might have some blood flow issues to a part of my heart. Dr has ordered a stress cardiac MRI as wants to be absolutely certain he is not missing anything, and also says the test will have good information for my ablation as well.

Continuing the yoga routine and no intense exercise for now I guess!

As an aside, I was just reading inducible ischemia indicates that your heart is not getting the supply of oxygen needed to function properly under stress. Then I thought to myself, maybe it was the fact that they required I wear a mask during the test! I definitely felt like I wasn't getting enough air LOL No idea if that could actually cause it but had a laugh to myself, what if it could.

Honestly if they're all masked, why make the patient wear a mask during a treadmill test.

[Hidden]

Hi, Martin! You are perfectly right that your results are distorted by wearing the mask during the examination. Even when only walking with the mask on, I felt that I needed more air. Not to mention the treadmill exercise. MDs are usually money collectors, with not too much brain and knowledge, lol.

As for yoga, be very careful. Extreme stretches can disturb your "energy meridians", leading to the disturbance of other functions in the body. During my 70 years long life, I only heard of one yoga instructor, who knew enough and was leading his pupils in the right way.

[Ppiman]

You sound as if you have an excellent, highly experienced and knowledgeable doctor who is intent on using science and rational thinking to work out what is wrong with you and how best to treat you. Lucky you!

Steve

[BobD Volunteer]

Sounds to me as if they think you may have the begginings of some very mild cardiac artery disease. (narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscles. Show me somebody in America who doesn't! lol 😁 (Back in the days of Vietnam, autopsies on young 20 year old solders showed the begginings of CAD. )

[ozziebob]

Thanks for your informative Post. Please follow-up by Posting your stress cardiac MRI results.

Such information certainly helps me better understand cardiac issues.

[2learn]

Hi, don't understand your readings, my ignorance. But I had to have a stress test before heart surgery to check my ejection fraction rate, was my heart pumping strongly enough to recover afterwards. Don't know if thats in your results or relevant. In UK don't think consultants work on wkends so you'd be unlikely to get a call.

[SeanJax]

The anterior and septal walls of your heart do not contract well under stress. They are vascularized by the main artery left descending coronary artery. This artery is accountable for 75% of oxygen for the heart. The main reason is build up plaques inside it. Your ep knew it and also suspected some spasms of the artery under stress so he keeps investigating with mri cardiac stress testing. So your case is complex to deal with. VT, CAD and Afib. I responded in other post to a VT case and the ep does not explain either to the patient her conditions.

[DawnTX]

I so agree with you about the mask and supposedly the mask for sick people to wear so they don’t share. It does not prevent us from getting it although I’m not quite sure I understand that theory. Sometimes I think it is smoke and mirrors. I had Covid last March that I know I got it from my cousin because he was the only person around me and he got it also. Funny thing is he is a mask fanatic and must still wear it at work

I don’t know why they don’t use the chemical test more. They did not want me to do the treadmill instead they gave me an IV of some thing. We are already feeling horrible why put us through the treadmill thing? They didn’t tell me when they released the chemical but oh boy did I know because I immediately had trouble breathing and pain and felt sick.

sounds like your doctor wants to be sure about everything which is good. The lack of oxygen is no surprise because with a fib that’s what happens when the blood pulls up as well as lack of circulation. The first serious event of a fib I had I blacked out and I had a few after that. Even now it’s acting up again and I feel it in my body. My heart definitely feels it but I feel it even in my arms and legs and cannot stand or walk very much and there are some days where eating a sandwich seems hard. Just told him the sandwich I mean. They should not throw stuff at us where we have to try to learn what it is because interpretation is different for everyone and it can be scary for no reason. I actually looked at my other doctor when he threw some big words and I asked him if he could put it in English lol I am very irreverent at times👿🤪

it sounds like you have a wonderful Doctor Who is dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s before he does an ablation on you. You are young and have a long life ahead of you. Some doctors are quick to ablate and ablate again and again. You do not want that yet especially. If you need it or whatever you need I would feel good being in his hands from the sounds of him. A call on the weekend wow I changed doctors because I could not get mine to call me in four months when I had a heart rate of 158 constantly. I am smiling at thinking of the doctor that you have how good it is to hear about him. I too have one now who gets right back to me. My original doctors in Florida were wonderful like that as it should be

Sending you healing thoughts and prayers let us know how you do and if and when you are getting the ablation. Wait until you wake up from that😊 My prediction if all goes well is a very happy new year