Unusual Heart Activity when trying to sleep.

[Garp242]

Hi everyone.

I’m new on the site and am looking for some help/information regarding a Heart problem.

About 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with a blocked artery, which was preventing one of my Heart valves from working. Two attempts were made to clear the blockage, but were unsuccessful. It was then decided that “medical management” was the way to go. I was prescribed :

Clopidogrel 75mg

Atorvastatin 20mg

Bisoprolol 5mg

Ranexa 375mg (twice daily)

Nuprin 75mg

I’ve been on these meds for about 3 years now and have no problems … except when I try to sleep.

It’s difficult to describe … but what seems to happen is, when I enter the early stages of sleep (5 or 10 mins), I get a sudden , massive single heart beat. It’s almost like getting an electric shock. Obviously at this stage I’m wide awake again & my heart will be beating much faster than normal, but will go back to normal after a few minutes.

After a while, I’ll try again to sleep, and the same thing will happen … This can sometimes go on until 4 or 5 am.

I was referred to a sleep clinic … They found no evidence of Sleep Apnea

Earlier this year, I was fitted with a 24 hour Heart Monitor (Holter Test ??)

The results apparently showed nothing that the Cardiac Team would be worried about, and I was referred back to my GP

( This amazed me !! The night that I had the monitor fitted was a particularly bad one, and I didn’t get to sleep until about 5am …)

What I’m trying to find out is … Has anyone else had a similar problem ? What did they do about it ?

I should add that my GP has assured me that I’m in no danger of having a heart attack or stroke (based on the 24 hour monitor results) which is very comforting. But the problem is still there … and it’s not the GP who is losing all the sleep !!

Thank you in advance for any help or information.

[Sina-6491]

Hi Garp242,

I pretty much have the same issues. Also I had the 24hour monitor & like you, nothing showed up.

Mind you, with me I knew that would be the case, as I felt like it hadn't happened when I was on it.

However, I am still having same issues I think about 2 months later. I was sent to see a nurse pratishaner at the time.

She thought like myself that it is possibly anxiety. But she said she would refer me back to the cardiologist just to check & be on the safe side.

My Gp said they may deside to put me on one of the two year monitors. So we shal see, I have appointment on 11th Sep.

I will update you how it goes.

Go back to your Gp, ask them to do further investigations.

Who knows, yours could also be anxiety.

Same as you, I sleep few minutes, then wake.

Can't remember the last time I slept for more than an hour all at once.

Good luck on your findings, sleep well now, Jo ☺

[Spatz76]

Hi Garp242

Just a suggestion but it might be ectopic beats. They are apparently harmless but they can feel really horrible. I get them a lot with my arrhythmia, especially at night and have had them as I fall asleep as you described. My heart does go a bit faster but for me its just the adrenaline as you pull yourself out of your sleep in a brief panic.

With regard to the ectopic beats there are the early beats which I don't feel and then sometimes, less frequent, late beats that feel like a jolt and are very unpleasant. I'm by no means an expert but I believe its something to do with the timing between beats and how full of blood your ventricles are when they pump the blood round your body. An early beat can mean the heart is only half full so you don't feel it as much or at all but if you have a late beat it is more full that usual and therefore potentially you can feel the heart pump the blood in a more forceful beat due to volume of blood.

Sorry I probably haven't explained that very well but it worth considering. I don't think you should be worried if all your test's came back clear. It is my understanding that ectopic beats are not dangerous. You could ask the docs if they saw ectopic beats on your halter results as it may explain things.

Good luck in your search for the answer.

Spatz76 x

[Garp242 in reply to Spatz76]

Hi Spatz

You explained it very well. I'll mention ectopic beats to my GP next time and see what she says.

I've had this problem for a few years now & one thing I have discovered is ... If I've had a drink, and I'm talking about a couple of glass's of wine, I've no problem sleeping at all !! Not sure how or why that works ... but the last thing I want to do is add alcohol dependancy to my heart problem ...

I'm sure the good people here will come up with a safer solution !!

[Midgeymoo17]

I have had a similar issue. Where I would suddenly have what felt like a very abnormal single beat. My hotter showed premature ventricular contractions- these are not considered dangerous so my cardiologist and I chose to do nothing about them. Premature Ventricular Contractions/ ectopic beats are rarely treated.

[skid112 Heart Star]

Hi Garp, after my bypass sleep in bed for more than 6 hours a night is a luxury. I'm lucky that nine months on I can now sleep on my side rather than my back and wake myself snoring! That said on my side I can feel my heart beating and if I concentrate on it, hear it skip then a big thump as it feels like it starts again. I know this is in my mind, it's not happening but seems so real. I tend to have a wide awake hour around 3 am, but like you all these disappear with a glass of wine or a gin. I hope you find a solution without the booze, keep well and keep us in touch