Stress Test Questions

[Brownie]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Jim,

I enjoyed reading your account of your test. Isn't it strange that something that should be so straightforward can get so complicated. Anyway, I'm glad for you that it's behind you at last. Surely they wouldn't call you back to do the test again unmedicated when they saw what happened while you were on meds?

Take care.

Abby

[Linda]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Jim, Call Lisa. What else can I say? There's no sigh face in the emoticons. Linda

[mtlieb]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Hi All,

LISA: I'll send you a PM with my new contact information and we'll set something up if you wanna chat.

REENIE: I've done a bit of research following your post and every site i read seems to say the same thing... ANY drop in blood pressure during a stress test is considered abnormal, regardless of age. In fact, even if it just stays the same, it's considered bad. Perhaps my specialist realizes this however (he's really quite good), but simply doesn't feel that this one factor alone puts me at risk. I'll know more after we discuss the official results when they're ready, hopefully tomorrow.

QUESTION: Is a drop in blood pressure during exercise fairly common in HCM'ers in general, or only among those considered to be at risk from sudden death? Also, why do all my doctors seem to be interested in the fact that i used to pass out all the time in my teens? It hasn't happened in over twenty years, so obviously whatever caused it is no longer a factor?

I really like my new specialist quite a bit, and feel confident in his treatment of me. Every single technician or doctor i meet at the cardiac unit there tells me he would be their first choice if they were in my shoes. He's also pretty well connected... best friends with Dr. Barry Maron at Mayo, and he works closely with Dr. Lever in Cleveland, where he sends most of his myectomy candidates.

Jim

EDIT: Oops! I meant to say Minneapolis Heart Institute, not Mayo here. Thanks for correcting me

[Cynaburst]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Hey Jim,

I will take a stab at these for you....

Re: blood pressure dropping during exercise - that is one of five or six risk factors for sudden death. The others are history of fainting (which is why everyone is so interested in this), family history of sudden death, esp. at a young age, multiple repetitive v-tach on holter monitor, and maybe one or two more that aren't coming to me at the moment. Oh yeah, very thick septum is one... Search the archives...all are listed there.

Anyway, in order to be considered to be high risk of sudden death, you need two or three of these factors. You seem to be like me, sort of in the middle.

When your doc says that the drop in blood pressure isn't that meaningful, I think that he means that the risk of sudden death is higher before age 40. If you reach age 40, the risk goes down because you are already out of the highest risk zone.

After lots of testing, I went from being low risk to needing an ICD.

Its just how things added up.

I agree your doc sounds like he knows what's up. Btw, Barry Maron is at the Minneapolis Heart Institute....not Mayo. Close but not exactly Rochester.

Hope that helps. Good luck in finding a solution.

Best,

Cynthia

[Reenie]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Jim, you know what I'm going to say.... Take care of yourself. The drop in blood pressure concerns me. That and the fainting lead me to think obstruction, and that must be fixed. (Remember, my friend, I'm just an interested party. I'm not a doc!) Do what ya have to do!

Reenie

PS, you know we're here for ya no matter what!

[Lisa Salberg]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Jim - We will chat soon - FYI Barry Maron is at the Minneapolis Heart Inst. (about 1 and a half hour drive from Mayo)

Take care

Lisa

[mtlieb]

Re: Stress Test Questions

Yes, thank you.... i always get the two centers mixed up! Hey, they're both in Minnesota