What If ... : If this was picture of... - British Heart Fou...

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What If ...

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If this was picture of your 15 year old son’s heart following ecg WHAT action would you take.

Picture is of heart and Green Is Good But picture ECG displays heart deviation as shown in yellow.

Also numbers like QRS don’t seem right given ecg was taken at rest.

What action would you take given heart sats

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19 Replies
Sillyfroggy profile image
Sillyfroggy

Presumably your doctor has given you the results/what is or isn’t going on. The QRS relates to how many little squares are between the Q wave and the S wave on the ecg. You would need to ask your doctor if this is good or bad, unless you go and teach yourself ECGs!

in reply toSillyfroggy

Hi Sillyfroggy Cheers ECG was not done at doctors WAS done at home.

But agree trip to doctors would be justified given abnormal results or hear deviation.

All I know QRS relates to chambers or values

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star in reply to

Hi JeffAjaxSmith

I am intrigued that you did a 'DIY'

ECG at home.

How was the image of the heart made?

Can I ask why and how you did this?

As the others have suggested perhaps go and see a GP or Cardiologist so they can order the appropriate hospital grade tests if necessary.

in reply toMilkfairy

Hi miilkfairy I have had few ecg given my own heart condition and ecg don’t really display goings on SO I brought heart stress monitor.

French paramedics trialed device in there ambulance’s wile making heart house calls TO see if could cut down on wasted hospital visits by those why thought was having heart attack’s

Had good results write up ANYWAY machine displays same heart but measures 5 heart axis.

Different bits of heart light up different colour given going on severity green normal / yellow marked change / red medical emergencies.

Guess best way to describe it is like having heart ultrasound given plains measured

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star in reply to

Thank you that is very interesting.

There is a charity that performs ECGs on young people. I had my 3 children checked after their uncle survived an out of hospital cardiac arrest .

c-r-y.org.uk/screening/

Sunnie2day profile image
Sunnie2day

I can't speak to the actual condition(s) indicated on the scan - but I can say a little about having heart problems discovered in a young person. My perspective comes as the young person ( :) worth noting I'm no longer 'young':) ), what my dad did for me when I was first diagnosed, and what he did for me to the day he died 20 years after my diagnosis.

I had rheumatic fever as a 7yo in 1963 and in the following months the family doctor told my father I had 'rheumatic heart' that also went to my joints as a consequence. My father's reaction was to learn everything he could about rheumatic heart whilst watching me for symptoms the rheumatic heart was giving me a problem (discreetly, he never made me feel wrapped in cotton wool although looking back it's clear to me he did do just that). He didn't restrict my activity but he made it clear to everyone if I looked as though I was having shortness of breath or pain I was to be distracted with a less vigorous activity, and if I said I didn't feel well I was to be paid attention to.

Yes, I worked out pretty fast I could avoid things like daily chores by claiming to be unwell - Dad nipped that developing habit in the bud. Needless to say, perhaps, is the appearance of favoured attention paid to me made me somewhat unpopular with my siblings (four, three older and one younger), and that was a bit difficult for my father to manage.

Long story short, my dad made sure I could participate in as much as I felt able to, few special allowances were made - I still had my list of after-school and Saturday home chores, for example, and I was encouraged to be physically active but to stop if breathless or in pain and tell a responsible adult I might be having a problem.

Looking back now I of course realise my father was determined I would have as normal a life as possible within reason, and I also realise my condition must have kept his anxiety levels on max. But his approach meant I really did have something very close to 'a normal life' including carrying and delivering two healthy children - who have made me a five times over gran, and I had a working career outside the home as well. So it is possible for a parent to get a child through the consequences of a heart condition as long as the parent works well with the medical team, and doesn't let the child become what my dad used to call 'a professional patient'.

It's not easy being the unwell child, and it's not being the parent of an unwell child. But it is doable - I wish you and your son all the best as you go down the path of having a heart condition in the family.

in reply toSunnie2day

Hi Sinnie2day thanks for sharing own experience.

Kid is not mine would be simple if was BUT he’s my brothers HEART condition’s do run in our family.

I have genetic left ventricular hemi block doctors never told me about I only found out when I requested my full medical records.

My brother and son’s farther wanted to hear it GUESS would be just like your own father THATs impression I got

Kids mother well would no accept anything was wrong MAINLY to my frustration as I belive kid should go hospital and get checked out proper.

So I don’t really know what if anything is being done on information they now hold.

Sunnie2day profile image
Sunnie2day in reply to

Oh dear, sounds as though your nephew's mum is in a bit of denial. His father needs to try to talk to her about the potential consequences of declining further investigations - did the unit doing the scan you've posted refer your nephew for more tests, if yes, Dad needs to get Mum on board soon as.

I can imagine the frustration in not being able to reach in and get your nephew the care you believe he should be receiving but as 'only the uncle' I don't think there isn't much more you can do other than encourage the lad's father to gently help Mum overcome her denial state. As a mum myself I can understand her being in denial but as a mum myself I can't quite go completely sympathetic-empathetic when the health of her 15yo son is in question. I wish you all the best going forward, and I hope you keep us updated if things change.

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star

I know very little about the electrical side of the heart. Two observations; i) the resting heart rate seems rather high and ii) the QRS interval seems overly long. You really need to speak to the GP/cardiologist involved.

in reply toMichaelJH

Hi Michaeljh it was home ecg observation DOCTORs / GPS are not involved at this moment.

It’s my brothers son ecg was done on AND am no expert but I know where heart deviation is

Is not very good SEEMs to me given obs heart is working fast and eather chambers / values are not up to job.

Trying to convince mother action needs taking is quite frustrating really.

MichaelJH profile image
MichaelJHHeart Star in reply to

He really needs the full 12-lead ECG done professionally asap.

SquirrelsHolt profile image
SquirrelsHolt

Morning JAS........hope you don't mind me joining the group so that i can follow your path with the ECG ,your nephew and your new bit of"kit"?

It's very interesting but more over,important that we all know how to understand these heart matters. Hope you don't mind me watching from the side lines?

Sillyfroggy profile image
Sillyfroggy

I personally wouldn’t trust anything done DIY at home. If you suspect a heart problem, go to your GP. I am presuming the child is having no symptoms as mum doesn’t seem keen to send him for proper investigations. I have to admit, I’m puzzled why you’re using home tests if you’re unsure how to read them. I’ve done basic ecg reading as part of being a Community First Responder but I certainly wouldn’t be giving medical advice to anyone on the basis of a DIY ecg.

in reply toSillyfroggy

Hi Sillyfroggy like I said previously in other reply ... I have my own health issues I.e heart and lung even associated chest pains

So to cut down on gp hospital visit I have my own equipment to monitor my own condition’s ALL with aim of keeping myself out of hospital and to reduce panic attacks.

Clearly am no expert at ecg or would not ask and probably I would be consult if I was BUT sadly am not but do understand basics of ecg and even CPR / AED use.

I do agree you have to be careful with home monitoring but if something not right or flagged professional attention should be seeked.

Brothers son is very thin really that’s why did ecg so makes me wonder if this is ression why given results.

Sure I understand mothers anxiety and not wanting to hear it but would do no harm in getting it checked out .. better than doing nothing.

Sillyfroggy profile image
Sillyfroggy

99 is high normal resting hr for a 15 yr old male. The QRS is meaningless without having the full 12 lead to be able to do the ratios. I would think he’s young for heart blocks etc. What specific heart problems are in the family? Structural defects won’t necessarily show up on an ecg, I would think an mri with contrast will give that info. None of this will be done to a 15 yr old who is asympomatic - tests expensive and invasive!

in reply toSillyfroggy

Hi Sillyfroggy this all sorts .. I found out dad as genetic x condition I also too have chromoso x issues

Basically vascular heart issues and only effects males in families.

I have left anterior hemi block others have been prescribe beta blockers AND I was apost to have Pace Maker but was decided I did not need one as heart signal

Eventually gets to my left side.

Not quite sure if eventually is proper measurement.

But yer other cousin have had heart valves fitted given genetic conditions.

Do agree about ecg not picking stuff up so like you say or ultrasound would be Of benerfit given issues flaged

Sillyfroggy profile image
Sillyfroggy

Not if he doesn’t have symptoms. Healthy people are quite often thin, and it’s not a symptom of heart disease. My 14 yr old daughter is like a rake and eats like a horse - she pours it into her studies and charging around with her friends!

in reply toSillyfroggy

That’s what we thought too ... but if was ok would not of been flaged.

Kids you have to be carful with especially given suden cardiac death syndrome.

That’s my only worry AND why he’s mother should have him checked out professionally LIKE what dose anyone know about that.

Ad rather look a fool than sorry

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star in reply to

Who gave consent for you to carry out the ECG?

It is either the mother or father of the child who are responsible for making this type of decision.

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