New finding

I'm 33 years old and on the 27th June last year i had a Medtronic ADDRO1 implanted with a drop down rate of 40bpm.(Neurocardio Syncope).Everything was fine until about six ago when i started to feel my heart pounding and didn't feel right.At the time i was at work so that sat me down and after a while took me to my GP.He did an ECG and everthing was okay. On my last visit to the cardiologist he noticed that my rate had reached 180 bpm on several occasions.He now wants me to come back in a months time for a further check up,as he thinks i might need to have an Angiogram to burn something or other off.Does anyone know what this could be?

3 Comments

Some info

by dtread - 2008-06-08 02:06:27

I really can't help diagnose what your problem is, but you can go to the Medtronic website and download the manuals for your pacemaker (which, by the way, is the same model I have); http://manuals.medtronic.com/OrderManagement
They have an Implant Manual (doesn't seem very useful to me), a Programming Manual, and a Reference Manual for the Adapta ADDR01. You might want to study the manuals to get more familiar with how your PM works. -Dan

NEW FINDING

by SMITTY - 2008-06-08 02:06:40

Hello,

I am guessing your doctor is talking about doing a catheter ablation. If my guess is correct the article below provides some details on this procedure.

Normally, electricity flows throughout the heart in a regular, measured pattern. This normally operating electrical system is the basis for heart muscle contractions.

Sometimes, the electrical flow gets blocked or travels the same pathways repeatedly creating something of a “short circuit” that disturbs normal heart rhythms. Medicine often helps. In some cases, however, the most effective treatment is to destroy the tissue housing the short circuit. This procedure is called cardiac ablation.

Cardiac ablation is just one of a number of terms used to describe the non-surgical procedure. Other common terms are: cardiac catheter ablation, radiofrequency ablation, cardiac ablation, or simply ablation. In cardiac ablation, a form of energy renders a small section of damaged tissue inactive. This puts an end to arrhythmias that originated at the problematic site.

The ablation process

Ablation is a procedure that involves inserting catheters – narrow, flexible wires – into a blood vessel, often through a site in the groin or neck, and winding the wire up into the heart. This procedure is often times called an angiogram. The journey from entry point to heart muscle is navigated by images created by a fluoroscope, an x-ray-like machine that provides continuous, “live” images of the catheter and tissue.

Once the catheter reaches the heart, electrodes at the tip of the catheter gather data and a variety of electrical measurements are made. The data pinpoints the location of the faulty electrical site. During this “electrical mapping,” the cardiac arrhythmia specialist, an electrophysiologist, may sedate the patient and instigate some of the very arrhythmias that are the crux of the problem. The events are safe, given the range of experts and resources close at hand, and are necessary to ensure the precise location of the problematic tissue.

Once the damaged site is confirmed, energy is used to destroy a small amount of tissue, ending the disturbance of electrical flow through the heart and restoring a healthy heart rhythm. This energy may take the form of radiofrequency energy, which cauterizes the tissue, or intense cold, which freezes, or cryoablates the tissue. Other energy sources are being investigated.

Patients rarely report pain, more often describing what they feel as discomfort. Some watch much of the procedure on monitors and occasionally ask questions. After the procedure, a patient remains still for four to six hours to ensure the entry point incision begins to heal properly. Once mobile again, patients may feel stiff and achy from lying still for hours.

When is ablation appropriate

Many people have abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) that cannot be controlled with lifestyle changes or medications. Some patients cannot or do not wish to take life-long antiarrhythmic medications and other drugs because of side effects that interfere with their quality of life.

Most often, cardiac ablation is used to treat rapid heartbeats that begin in the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart. As a group, these are know as supraventricular tachycardias, or SVTs.

Good luck,

Smitty

VERY LIKELY

by peter - 2008-06-08 06:06:38

I think they mean they want to burn out the AV node on your heart to stop the fast and dangerous heart rate. This will allow your pacemaker to control your ventricular rate 100% of the time like me. I had a heart rate of 180 BPM and have had an AV node ablation. The SA node is your hearts natural pacemaker and it sens the signals to beat the ventricles to the AV node which delays the signal before sending them on to the ventricles. The proceedure to "take out the AV node is nothing to worry about". No real discomfort at all. Takes about 20 minutes to 45 minutes. Cheers Peter

You know you're wired when...

You’re a battery-operated lover.

Member Quotes

I swim, scuba, garden, hike, climb, workout, play with the kids, play tennis, baseball, basket ball and rollerblade with mine with no problem.