Anyone good at reading an ECG? - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Anyone good at reading an ECG?

BC-10 profile image
14 Replies

Attached is my home ecg reading from this morning.

Haven't had many symptoms since PVI ablation 7 years ago but just recently been getting lots of strange PAC/PVC's that feel different to normal.

Any help greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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BC-10
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14 Replies
Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14

Is that a home ekg machine? Do the results go to the MD? If not they should.

We can't diagnose here but if you have new symptoms you should report them.

BC-10 profile image
BC-10 in reply to Dolphin14

Home one, yes. MD? Chance would be a fine thing, my GP surgery is operating a no contact policy and a phone call at 8 am will put me at around no.150 in a queue. Last week I was still at no 53 at the end of the day. So I have to self manage and as I have no pain or breathlessness, I can't go to the emergency room or a&e here.

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14 in reply to BC-10

I'm in the US so it's a bit different.

Do you have another EKG you can look at? See if this looks different at all.

Glad you are feeling ok

Nathan53 profile image
Nathan53

You could try discussing with a BHF Nurse from this site by calling 0300 330 3311. They may be able to look at your post and give an opinion.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575

Do you still have a cardiologist ? If not ring the secretary of the last cardiologist you dealt with, ask for her email address and email the ecg over with polite note asking if someone could take a look that’s what I did . No confidence in GPS reading ecgs

BC-10 profile image
BC-10 in reply to Peony4575

Hi, thanks for the reply. It was 7 years ago I last saw an EP, before they threw me out for being "fixed". My chances of being seen aren't good.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to BC-10

You may not need to be seen you just need an opinion . I hadn’t seen a cardiologist outside of a&e when I picked one I liked the sound of and emailed his secretary . I would ring the secretary of the EP you saw 7!years ago and say can he have a look and tell you if you need a referral . But that’s me

mauschen profile image
mauschen

I think dolphin68 meant Medical Doctor (MD)?A 30 second ECG strip doesn’t give much information. A 12 lead ECG by a health care professional would give so much more information. You mentioned a previous ablation therapy which might have significance in your case. As someone else mentioned, it’s important to look at previous ECG’s to establish what is normal or abnormal for you.

Take a screen shot of the tracing and email it or fax it to your GP. You could put “known cardiac patient requests medical review “ in the subject field. Send the email with high importance and request a read receipt. In the Text describe how anxious this is making you feel and that you would appreciate a telephone consultation with your doctor.

Let us know how you get on, good luck!

BC-10 profile image
BC-10

Thanks for the reply. I'm not really anxious about it to be honest as I am of the opinion that if it was really life threatening then it would be at least accompanied by other major symptoms. Hopefully lol.I was hoping that there was someone on here with a bit of ecg knowledge - at least better than mine. I can see (and feel) what's going on within the majority of that 30 seconds. There's a load of PAC's going on BUT the bit where there is a BIG downward blip and then followed by a quick upward blip is when I'm getting any kind of symptoms and I cant decipher this bit.

When this heart glitch occurs, it just literally stops me in my tracks when it happens. I have to remain still and stop whatever I'm doing until it passes. This arrhythmia can last for a few minutes. I'm not breathless or in pain, just can not do anything as it is physically impossible for me to even slightly exert myself at that time of the event.

I can not find a rhythm like this anywhere on the internet. It seems not to exist???

Although it's just basically a little monitor that takes a finger one side and the other side goes on the chest, there's a lot of information on that little strip, for the right person.

I will mail it to my GP though so good call. They won't have a clue though but I'll give it a go and it might just prompt them to get me in to see someone with a bit of knowledge. 👍

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14 in reply to BC-10

That has a lot of information on it. I suggest someone look at it. That's why you have the device? To monitor things?

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to BC-10

I had an ecg with those spectacular dips and emailed to my cardio who said they were “artifacts” so not related to the electrical activity of the heart . Now bear in mind I am not medically quailed and cannot read ecgs so you must get it checked but it may be why you can’t find anything comparable on the internet. Get it checked

BC-10 profile image
BC-10

Yes, I would like to agree with you that it was extraneous activity but for the fact that when it happens - I get a WOOSH! THUMP! PAUSE! THUMP! every time it happens. All you fellow "thumpers" will know that sort of feeling all too well I would think. 😃. Anyway thanks for the replies, much appreciated all. 👍

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to BC-10

The bit after it could be an ectopic but you really really need to ask someone qualified to tell you . Let us know

BC-10 profile image
BC-10 in reply to Peony4575

Hi again all.Finally got to see someone yesterday.

Had an ECG done and spoke to a great, very knowledgeable ER doctor that not only really cares about people but was glad to be doing something other than figure fiddling.

Turns out that the meds (bisoprolol) is basically slowing down the heart impulses, allowing a little window of opportunity for a sneaky little bloody ventricular ectopic to rush in/out and do it's thing.

In my minds eye I see a little underwater cave and a moray eel shooting out quick and having a sly bite at a passing diver!

So that's what the BIG downward blip followed by the BIG upward blip is, a ventricular ectopic followed by a big T wave and then a big PAUSE while the heart resets itself ready for either a proper regular beat - or not as the case may be.

Anyway, totally normal heart function although a highly symptomatic one for me.

👍

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