Palpitations - rapid heart rate. Is this Atrial Flutter?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Just wondered if anyone can tell me what might be going on. I'm 71 and, over the past few months/years, I've had occasional episodes of my heart pounding, but, eventually, it would calm down. I never mentioned it to the GP, but two weeks ago I had four hours of this, in the early hours of the morning, which was definitely scary. At the time, I took my blood pressure, which was 192/93 and my pulse rate was 109. Eventually, my heart rate slowed.
I saw my GP the next day, who did an ECG, which was fine. I take medication for high blood pressure and, after a 24 hour monitor showed that this was higher than it should be, my GP has increased my medication. I was told to come back if I get palpitations again.
Is this Atrial Flutter? Although my heart was pounding, I believe the rate was regular, as an irregular pulse rate would have shown up on the blood pressure monitor. Any info/advice would be appreciated.
0 likes, 3 replies
derek76 Cheetah
Posted
We need to be cautious with some BP monitors that record irregular heartbeats. The irregular beats can still confuse them and it give a wrong BP reading but I would believe yours as it is not showing the error symbol.
I spoke to Omron about my two monitors and they replied:
“We can never guarantee readings with this condition, however newer models with irregular heartbeat detection do a much better job of getting a reading with someone who has arrhythmia.
The M4 won't due to it's age whereas the MIT Elite does, this is why there is an error on the M4.
While the beep (on the M4 ) is a useful feature, bumping the cuff or moving the body can make it beep also.
The gold standard for someone with arrhythmia is doing it manually, you can then compare with the MIT Elite to confirm the accuracy”.
The consultant I see at the hypertension centre advises me to take four readings over a ten minute period and to believe the ones where at least three are close together.
Anonymous111 Cheetah
Posted
If its a recent development - Its likely paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (Atrial Flutter is rarer).
Whats medications are you taking?
LuckyPenny1 Cheetah
Posted
Hi Cheetah, I hope you're feeling much better now? Have you ever been diagnosed with AF? When I have had episodes of AF my heartbeat has always gone out of rhythm. I'm not too sure but, a pounding regular heartbeat doesn't sound like AF. But, there again I'm not a doctor so, don't really know. Don't suffer in silence and get yourself an ambulance should it happen again. You're not wasting their time as they can give you medication a GP cannot. Good luck.