Scary heart episode last night

[Tracy74]

Hi all

I just wanted to ask if anyone had ever experienced what I had last night or if Dr Fett can offer any info...

I recovered from possible PPCM very quickly. My EF is 64% and I had good contractile reserve during a stress echo so all has been pretty good. I have, of late, had some other health problems with my back and pelvis but not heart related. Last night I went out and has 3 glasses of wine with a meal over the course of 3 hours. I went to bed at 12.30 and woke just over an hour later feeling really sick and with my heart beat racing. I wasn't breathless but it was racing a lot. This lasted for about 10 - 15 minutes. I tried to stay calm and I was bretahing ok and talking but my heart was pumping away through my chest. I started to get scared and my partner called an ambulance. The paramedics arrived and said it was probably a panic attack but I was asleep at the time and this woke me up! I got taken to hospital and the doctor there sadi it wasn't a panic attack and for me not to worry about is as my ECG was normal. My ECG was done once the heart rate had settled down. A friend of mine, who's a doctor, called over today and siad that it might have been superventricular tachycardia. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Dr Fett, do you mind me aksing what you think it may be? Is it serious or nothing for me to worry about? Could it be the 3 glasses of wine that did it? I rarely drink but I didn't have a lot last night.

Today I just feel very tired but that could be becuase Ispent a few hours in A and E too though. My heart has been fine up to now and this has really unerved me.

Thanks so much.

Tracy

[JAMESFETT]

Maybe it was a matter of influence of the wine and sleep-related dream adrenaline rush giving you a sinus tachycardia (normal). Nevertheless, we have a high index of suspicion in recovered PPCM/cardiomyopathy patients because if there is any scar tissue (sometimes revealed by late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac MRI) there is the potential to develop arrhythmias, even when systolic heart function has returned to normal as evidenced by LVEF > 55%. Should there be repeat episodes Holter monitoring is sometimes done just to be sure no important arrhythmias. When scar tissue exists in the heart muscle, that may be an indication for prolonged beta-blockade treatment. You can work that out with your cardiologist. Best wishes,

JD

[pistons22girl]

I'm not a doctor. But in my experience, the times I have had drinks, my heart beat would increase a little. Nothing too crazy, but it goes right back down when the alcohol wears off. Is this the first time you've drink since your recovery? Maybe it was stress related. Subconsciously, you could have been worried a little about the drinking on top of your heart problem which woke you up in a panic. Or maybe it wasn't heart related at all, sometimes our minds work us into a panic, and we have no idea that we're worried to begin with, until we're in a total state of panic, as you were when the ambulance was called I'm sure.

It could be that. But it could also be a number of other things. It wouldn't hurt to get checked out. But I wouldn't freak out unless it continued to happen. It was likely alcohol and stress related. I've worked myself into those sorts of states before.