Stress and Holter Results?

[mtlieb]

Hi All,

Hoping someone can help me out with some of this lingo. Yikes! My darned cardiologist still hasn't reviewed with me the results of these tests, but at least i now have the printed results.

Stress Test/Nuclear Scan

*Focal fixed anterior and inferior wall defects related to HOCM or prior infarction
*Arrhythmias: Occasional VPC's
*LVH with ST-T wave abnormalities
*2.00mm horizontal ST depression
*Maximum HR: 157

Holter

*Average HR: 94
*Maximum HR: 134
*Artifact Triggers: 5
*Tachycardias: 15
*Longest Tachycardia Episode: 37 min. 8 sec.
*PVC's: 5
*Multiple ST depression episodes (max. -2.4 mm)

Any help interpreting this would be appreciated. Are any of these things to be concerned about? If i had a cardiologist that would actually speak to me i might know these things

Thanks much!

Jim

[Sarah]

jargon

Hi Jim,

*Focal fixed anterior and inferior wall defects related to HOCM or prior infarction
fancy way of saying that you have HOCM (defects are either thickness or damaged tissue)

*Arrhythmias: Occasional VPC's --I think you PVC--preventricular contractions. The heart is starting to beat too early.

*LVH with ST-T wave abnormalities --left ventricular hypertrophy and your heart beat is not normal.

*2.00mm horizontal ST depression --abnormal heart beat change

*Maximum HR: 157 --heart rate was 157 at peak of test

Holter

*Average HR: 94 --heart rate
*Maximum HR: 134
*Artifact Triggers: 5 --you jiggled the box
*Tachycardias: 15 --rapid heart rate over 100 beats per minute
*Longest Tachycardia Episode: 37 min. 8 sec.
*PVC's: 5 ---your heart started to beat early five times
*Multiple ST depression episodes (max. -2.4 mm) --the ST wave in your ECG was too low several times.

Think of the ECG as a wave. The line represents the positive and negative charges that happen in the heart. The forces between them make the heart contract. Each peak or valley is lettered, so you have QRST -- so when they say the ST is irregular, the heart beat is not electrically charged correctly at that point. Depressed (low) S waves and inverted or depressed T waves are common with HCM/HOCM.

PVCs are pretty common too. It doesn't sound like you have anything extraordinary ---for a HOCM patient--from what you posted here.

I don't know about the specifics of your depression numbers, however.

hope this helps.

S

[mtlieb]

Sarah,

Thanks so much for taking all the time to answer my post! You were quite helpful and your response is greatly appreciated as always. I had absolutely no idea what all that meant, or if it was even considered bad, good, or about normal for HCM.

Thanks again,

Jim

[Linda]

Jim, your doctor will be looking at the ST segments to evaluate ischemia (Oxygen deprivation or poor supply of oxygen to the heart muscle).
PVC, VPC, or VPB are all the same.

PVC - premature ventricular contraction
VPC - ventricular premature contraction
VPB - ventricular premature beat (not seen written this way very often)

These beats originate in the ventricles, or lower chambers of the heart rather than the right atrium or upper chamber as a normal beat does. So, they are abnormal but almost everyone, even "healthy" people have them occaisionally. Your doctor will look at how often and where they occur in relation to the previous beat, whether they are single beats, or several together, and if they are coming from the same spot in the ventricle or different areas. All these things are considered to determine their significance. Your doctor will need to interpret all this info for you and explain it as it relates to you. But it always helps to understand a little of what these things mean before you talk so you can ask questions. Hope this helps, in addition to what Sarah has told you. LInda

[mtlieb]

Linda,

Any information you can provide is very helpful, and i appreciate your response! My cardiologist may or may not be interpreting these results for me, since i most probably will be dumping him shortly.

Thanks again,

Jim

[kathyn2]

Jim, our hearts sound like twins! Mine is very similar to yours. It sounds like a normal hocm heart! Be sure to let us know how your doctor is going to treat your hocm. I still don't see how this catherization is appropos???

[Lisa Salberg]

Hats off to Linda and Sarah on such nice answers to your question! I will simply add that many items on your report on very common in HCM.
What treatments are you currently under, devices, meds??
Lisa