Posted by dirtywater on July 30, 2009 at 21:30:50:In Reply to: Cardiology Consult before MMA? posted by sleepyhead on July 30, 2009 at 10:13:44:
Did they mention what kind of tachycardia it was? There are several varieties.
About 10 years ago I was getting heart palpitations when I exercised strenuously or climbed stairs. My doctor had me wear a small portable heart monitor for a few days and then a cardiologist looked at the results and diagnosed me with brief episodes of sinus tachycardia, which basically means the chambers of the heart are beating in the correct sequence, but the heart is beating abnormally fast. I also had a few "Premature Ventricular Contractions," commonly known as "skipped beats." My doctor said this was probably just a result of being a bit out of shape, and that I shouldn't be too alarmed, it wasn't dangerous. I think his assessment was correct - over the years, I've noticed that I tend to get palpitations when I'm out of shape (or when I drink caffeine, which is known to cause palpitations).
I also have a prolapsed mitral valve. Usually a heart valve keeps blood flowing in one direction, but with a prolapsed valve some blood will flow backwards ("regurgitation"). Mine is a mild case.
Neither of these issues was a problem when I had my MMA 18 months ago. My primary care doctor told me that my prolapsed valve is minor enough that it can be ignored. My oral surgeon ordered an EKG as part of the standard pre-operative tests, and it looked normal.
So definitely go see the cardiologist, but don't worry too much. Hopefully it won't be a big deal!