Got my heart monitor results. Can someone explain

[LindaJoy]

Hi. Had to wear a heart monitor for 30 days, and just got my results. Some of the abbreviations my doctor used, I don't understand. Can someone help me?

What are ve's? It says, "Demonstrates normal sinus rhythm with ve's."

What are couplets? It says, "Demonstrates normal sinus rhythm with pvc's (I know what these are) and couplet."

How serious is atrial flutter? It says, "Demonstrates atrial flutter." I know what this is, just not how serious it is.

And, what does this mean: "Demonstrates sinus rhythm with ventricular bigeminey." What is ventricular bigeminy?

Also, after that line, it reads, "Cannot r/o atrial tachycardia with block." What does that mean?

I only received a listing of my call-ins, with no explanation.

Thanks for your help.

Linda

[MightyMouse]

I have no idea how to answer your questions--however, I found a ECG tutorial online:

http://www.anaesthetist.com/icu/organs/heart/ecg/

[janineerrn]

Hi Lindajoy,

Some explanaitions:

Couplets are pairs of PVC's

Ve means ventricular ectopy, ectopy means out of plce

Bigeminy is a ventricular beat after a normal beat of your heart.

A Block is an interuption in the electrical (nerve) conduction that regulates heart rate/beats. There are several kinds of blocks depending on the nodes or nerves involved.

Atrial flutter is a rapid (tachycardia) heart beat of the upper chambers of the heart

the beats are very disorganized.

I hope your doc has a follow up appointment for you. Sounds to me like there is a conduction problem with your heart but not serious enough to be life threatening. If your doc hasnt scheduled an appointment to discuss the results call and insist on an appointment soon.

Peace,

Janine

(trying not to spread fear and panic over the cardiac system)

[LindaJoy]

Hi, Janine,

I've already had an electrophysiology study done (back in 1998), and was found to have a dual pathway, but the tachycardia I was experiencing was not coming down through the second pathway so was told they couldn't find what was causing my tach, my irregular beats, etc. and was put on Cardizem CD. I experience these things very irregularly, mostly when I'm stressed or having POTS problems. What kind of conduction problems are there?

Linda