Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with heart

Is the chest pain I've been experiencing directly related to stress and anxiety? If so, how can I alleviate some of the discomfort and put my mind at ease?

Tenacious.Me.Tokyo — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:20:36 -0800

Is the chest pain I've been experiencing directly related to stress and anxiety? If so, how can I alleviate some of the discomfort and put my mind at ease? For the past 3 or 4 months I've been experiencing sharp pains in the middle/left of my chest. These pains often come without warning, last for for a few seconds to several minutes, and are sometimes accompanied by numbness and moderate pain in my left arm.

For several weeks I feared the worst. About a month ago I had a VERY jarring, sudden tugging sensation and sharp pain in the middle of my chest. I went to the emergency room and had an EKG, x-ray, blood work, etc. The doctor ruled out a heart problem based on the test results, but wouldn't give a firm diagnosis based on the numerous possible causes.

I'm 33 years-old and quit smoking immediately after my hospital visit. I am in reasonably good shape and maintain an average diet. The chest pains subsided for a while, but have recently returned. Every time I experience this I have a gripping fear that I'm experiencing a heart attack or have some kind of serious heart condition.

I have been under quit a bit of stress over the past several months (pregnant wife, birth of first child, promotion at work, studying for a course) and am somewhat convinced that this may be where the problem lies. I never seem to realize that I'm under stress until I reflect on it when I'm more relaxed months later. Am I OK? What are some tried and true methods by which to relieve anxiety?

Calling the heart line

littlerobothead — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:02:47 -0800

Acoustic modem + cell phone. Can it be done? More inside... We just left the NICU with our new daughter (YAY!) but they've given us a heart monitor we might have to use that communicates with the hospital via an old school acoustic modem not wholly unlike this one (erm...wot?). We have a house full of iPhones, but no land line. Will we need to get one for this gadget (which I will gleefully do without a moment's hesitation) or is there a way to make it work with our iPhones? Thanks!

What is this heart condition called?

heytch — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:29:25 -0800

What is the name of this heart condition, and is it genetic? The main artery supplying blood to the heart isn't developed properly in utero, resulting in major surgery and/or death of the baby post birth. Back in 1981 my mother gave birth to a baby boy with this disorder. The pregnancy appeared normal, but he only survived for 8 days after being born. My mother can't remember the clinical name of the disease, all we have is this description: The main artery in/to the heart was not developed, resulting in a fatal heart failure. Apparently a cure was developed only a few years later, in the mid 80s. It involves surgery, and can now be detected in utero and treated before the baby is born. The rest of my family members are healthy, but we have a very small sample size so I don't think a hereditary link would be obvious. As an added note, all the other children (incl cousins and children of cousins) are female.

Clearly, IANAD or med/nursing student, so I don't know where to even start googling. Are you? I am especially keen to know whether or not this condition is hereditary, in which case I need to watch out for it when I have children of my own. Thanks!

Paisley Park is in your heart

milarepa — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:50:53 -0800

Do you have a soft heart? How did you get one? I really want a "soft heart." It's a little poetic, I know, but I can't think of a better way to express it. You meet those people with a soft heart and you just...know. They are inviting, non-judgmental, and just love very purely.

There is nothing better in this world than a soft heart. Do you have one? How did you get it? Were you born with it? Was it a conscious development?

I used to have a softer heart, I think. And I can remember times when my heart was very soft. A few years ago I had these surgeries and basically felt like I was dying. My heart became so soft. I wanted it to stay like that so badly. It sort of scabbed over though. Is there anyway to get it back?

The Good and Bad of Living With a Bum Ticker

lekvar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:48:48 -0800

My father's been diagnosed with stable angina, and he's looking for a little reassurance... The longer version:

Yesterday my dad calls me up to tell me that he has stable angina, but it's advanced enough that he's going in for further testing, and likely stents, today. He's a little freaked out about this, not because of the procedure itself, but because he's afraid that having a bad heart is going to affect his over-all quality of life.

If you've got anecdotes about you or your loved ones living with stable angina, I'd like to hear them, especially if they lean towards the "active, vital member of society" end of the spectrum, though all perspectives are welcome.

I get a tingling in my hands and occasional lightheadness when my heart rate goes above 160, usually while working out.

UMDirector — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:51:39 -0800

I get a tingling in my hands and occasional lightheadness when my heart rate goes above 160, usually while working out. [you are not a doctor] So I recently started weight training and after just a little bit my heart rate stars to soar...going from about 80 to 150 and then 160, which is where the tingly starts. The only think I can compare this to is years ago when I first starting acting and got very nervous before going on stage, my heart would start to point and I would get the exact same feeling (sometimes worse).

This heart rate soaring doesn't seem to happen when I do cardio. For a while I as running 30 min every other day and NEVER had it happen.

My theory is that my muscles are very weak so its pulling blood from extremeties to fuel my muscles...which causes my heart to try to push much harder cause parts of the body are not getting the blood they need.

I am on atenelol for occasional heart beat irregularities. Slightly high BP, but nothing crazy. I have been to two cardiologists over the last 3 years, and they did a holter monitor and a stress test and said I had no problems other than the slightly irregular heartbeat.

So

A) What might this be?

B) When I meet with my new cardiologist what should I ask him?

Turning into a hypochondriac?

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:26:24 -0800

Am I turning into a hypochondriac? I hadn't been to the doctors in years, so I went for a routine physical. The physical showed I had elevated LDL (144) and was very deficient in Vitamin D. Additionally, I was to have an MRI to rule out a neuroma because of ringing in my ears, and I had to have a suspect mole removed.

The MRI came back negative, and the mole came back as precancerous. So, they took more of a margin around the pre-cancer mole and took 5 other borderline suspect moles just as a precaution.

Also, during the initial physical I asked the doc about some light to moderate chest pain I have been having. He said given my age (29) and overall health that he order a bunch of tests but thought assuredly that it would turn up nothing. So he suggested I not do the tests because of the added expense even though I have a family history of heart disease.

As I am sitting here typing this I am contemplating going back to the doctor to have more tests done because I have chest pain. It comes and goes but never lasts for more than a few seconds at a time, but the coming and going often persists for a couple of hours. The pain is right below my left collar bone and radiates into the inside of my arm below my biceps.

I feel like I am becoming a hypochondriac. I am an overall anxious person, so how can I help myself determine what needs to be brought to a docs attention and what can just be attributed to my anxious and worrysome nature?

Preparing for a doctor appointment

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:36:23 -0800

When, if ever, is it reasonable to ask for a preemptive test? Given a family history of congestive heart failure I'm wondering how reasonable it is to reguest a MUGA or echocardiogram just to allay (or confirm) my own worries. I'm definitely already going to see a doctor, so I'm not asking for medical advice. I guess I am asking for perspective to help me frame my request with my physician. I'm 53 and have an upcoming appt with my internist regarding a different matter. Since I made that appointment my slightly older brother died a few weeks ago of sudden cardiac arrest at age 56. Apparently he had been seeing a doctor for congestive heart failure for a while. My other brother (age 59) received a stent some years ago while being diagnosed with diabetes and some degree of congestive heart failure. My mother died at age 66 of -- you guessed it -- congestive heart failure. Until my younger-older brother died, I was aware that my family history was not great, but his death has catapulted the issue of CHF to top-of-mind, to say the least. Yet...

I have what I assume to be the usual litany of complaints about getting older, but I tend to think of them as not really rising to the level of needing to be addressed. I received a good bill of health at my physical last year, along with the usual lifestyle warnings. (Salt, alcohol, maybe I should do some strength work in addition to walking, etc.) I just don't feel I have any acute physical complaints that would justify tests that are probably kind of expensive.

For anyone with perspective from the US health care community, am I one of those "walking worried" patients driving up costs for everyone, or would it be reasonable to push hard for a test to rule early CHF in or out?

What could my mystery chest pain be?

UMDirector — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:03:29 -0800

Chest Pain Filter: So I continue to have this weird chest pain at the bottom of my breast bone area, perhaps a little down and to the left of my nipple. What could it possibly be? Additional Info:

I do occasionally do push-ups. I don't have enough data yet to see if there is a corrolation.

I do have occasional, most likely stress related, heart palpatations and am on beta blockers for them, yet they still occasionally pop up.

I am 6', 34 years old and probably about 40 pounds overweight, if you believe the gov't. (I am 228)

I have asthma and under so-so treatment for it.

The pain is not continuous, in that its constant. When it does happen however it lasts for hours hurting for a few seconds then going away for maybe 30 seconds to a minute then returning.

Feels like someone is poking me with a needle or like a pinched nerve might feel.

I have been to the cardiologist. They did an ultra sound (echocardiogram), stress test and a halter monitor (the thing you wear for a week). That's how I ended up on the beta blockers.

There does not seem to be much relation between this and running on the treadmill. I have run up to 25 minutes lately with no pain.

I do have high cholestrol, but only very slight elevated blood pressure (124/80)ish.

I do have an upcoming yearly update with the cardiologist...I am hoping for some advice before I go see him.

So what could this current pain be?

I feel like I am having heart attacks when I work out. Am I going to die?

torpark — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:29:21 -0800

I am a young guy and I feel like I am having heart attacks when I work out. Am I going to die? When I do strong cardio exercise I always tire very quickly. Jogging a few hundred feet will cause me to cough and try to catch my breath for 10 minutes. It has been this way all my life, even when i trained athletically for hours per day. Doctors said I was too young to have a heart problem, yet when I saw a cardiologist he said I have a prolapsed mitral valve and heart arrhythmia, but didn't want to diagnose mitral valve prolapse syndrom because he didn't believe in it. Yet he was not able to reproduce my heart issues because his stress test was gradual, not stop to hard exercise like reality.

Is there a way I can discover what is causing this extreme fatigue? I want to be normal, I want to exercise, I want to be able to run a mile. I get winded just walking up stairs. That isn't normal for a guy in his 20s, and it doesn't seem legitimate that a doctor can't find a cause unless he is incompetent.

My symptoms are, under normal cardiac exertion, palpitations, constricted breathing, chest pain, blackouts, tunnelvision, coughing, extreme muscle fatigue. No history of heart disease, no smoking, no drinking, no bad habits or exposures. Doesn't happen at rest. When i work out real hard, it feels like I am having a heart attack. What could this be? Why can't it be reproduced by a gradual stress test? How concerened should I be?

Women's Heart Rate Monitor Recommendation

angiewriter — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:32:13 -0800

I have searched through previous posts, but have not found specific info on women's heart rate monitors, specifically those worn on the wrist and that include a chest strap. I perform cardio on both a bike and an elliptical at the gym 6 days a week (4 days on the bike and 2 days on the elliptical). Because my wrist is 6.75" around, I need a heart rate monitor as small as possible. I don't care what color it is, but I do care that it measures heart rate *and* calories burned. I also want the chest strap for this monitor to be the kind that has batteries that can be replaced by the user. I don't need lots of bells and whistles; I just want some simple measurements and something that fits my small wrist. This last part may be nearly impossible, but I'd love it if this monitor costs less than $100. And yes, I realize that you get what you pay for, but the limited research I have done so far suggests that at least one model (the Polar F4) is well within my price range.

I currently use the "heart rate monitors" on the equipment I use at the gym, but I do realize that they're not as precise or consistent as a personal monitor, and because heart rate matters a great deal to me during my workouts, I'm willing to cough up the money for something that will give me the precision I need.

Thanks hivemind!!

What causes my rapid heartbeat?

7life — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:46:23 -0800

What causes my rapid heartbeat? For as long as I can remember, my heart rate jumps up very quickly when I do even the lightest of activities.

My normal heartbeat is about 70ish a minute rested. I would climb a flight of stairs and my heartbeat would be in the hundreds.
I am by no means exhausted, out of breath, or physically stressed.

Or a brisk walk would send it to 120-130 a minute within the first 5 minutes. As I mentioned before, I'm not physically stressed at all and I could keep up that pace for hours.

I'm not worried about this but I'm just curious if anybody has the same thing or has any ideas what causes this.

I am a 30 years old male, normal body weight, and I walk for an hour a day as my exercise.

What is this bag? What is this logo?

Eater — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:24:39 -0800

The other day I spotted a very handsome shoulder bag of brown leather with a red stripe. I want to own one just like it. I wasn't able to ask the owner where he got it, but I was able to spot the manufacturer's logo. It looks like a heart, split down the middle into two lobes, and lying on its side. I've drawn a very crude version of it here. It looks faintly familiar to me -- does anyone recognize it? And in general, is there a good resource somewhere for looking up logos?

Have a heart?

Hands of Manos — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:18:43 -0800

How can I manage these chest pains? (Doctors say my heart is healthy) I have chest pains all the time. My arm tingles as well. Over the course of a few years I've been in the ER as I thought I was having a heart attack only to be told "your heart is healthy, it must be stress." I've been to cardiologists and they say "you're heart is fine."

So I guess it's stress and I've got a few stresses affecting me. My wife and I are splitting up, I'm freelance and have to constantly scramble for work in this economic meltdown, I'm naturally an anxious person and my bank account is quickly dwindling.

I'm on anti depressant medicine and I'm doing marriage counseling and I don't ever really *feel* stressed out but my heart says otherwise. I'll be fine and then all of the sudden I feel like there is a very large suitcase on my chest and pains running up and down my arm.

My counselor says I need to see a psych and get some meds for it but I honestly can't afford a psych and more meds (I'm on a HSA and my deductable is 5k...something I don't have).

So what are some ways I can manage my heart pains? Some people have suggested meditation but I have the attention span of a squirrel and have trouble doing that (although I'm open to continue to try). Is there anything else?

As for my habits. I don't really exercise (I go for walks from time to time), I drink probably a little heavier than I should, I *love* my job although it barely gives me any income and while it's a helluva problem, my wife and I get along pretty well for two people splitting up.

So does the hive have any suggestions? I'm open to books, natural remedies, self talk and any other forms of help.

Is drinking Red Bull before a cardio workout a dumb idea?

Senor Cardgage — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:06:43 -0800

Is drinking Red Bull before a cardio workout a dumb idea? For the last year, I've been doing a pretty strenuous weightlifting regimen on my upper body mondays, wednesdays and saturdays. I would like to start doing cardio/ab work on the remaining days. Mainly I want to add cardio in as a means to get my own natural energy/stamina levels up so that I wont have to rely as much of caffeine or energy drinks throughout my day or (more importantly) when I go dancing on the weekends.

I am 34, naturally pretty energetic anyway and have very little body fat. What my hope is it that cardio will give me a marked increase in energy.

Now, here's the conundrum: when I do my lifting regimen, I usually have a sugar-free Red Bull beforehand just to get my wherewithal up. If I do this for cardio (say the running incline machine) will this be like "cheating", and will it lessen my gains? Is it a bad idea to mix Red Bull and cardio anyway?

Note: this may be a really dumb question, but humor me.

Thump...thump..thump

downing street memo — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:04:41 -0800

Weird Body-Filter: Two days ago I started to become abnormally aware of my own heartbeat. The beat is not arrhythmic or particularly rapid, or abnormal at all, really, except for all of a sudden I perceive it to be much stronger. I have had random exertion-related palpitations in the past, but they usually subside with a few deep breaths. Potentially related: beforehand, on the day this started, I exercised my chest (bench press, flys, dips).

Other than this I am a healthy, reasonably-in-shape 23 year old male. What is going on?

Heart racing/pounding upon waking up.

desjardins — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:07:15 -0800

Heart racing/pounding upon waking up. This happens in the morning and also when I take naps. Relevant info: female, 34, no tobacco, moderate drinker, slightly underweight, no chronic physical issues. Blood pressure is usually on the low end of normal range. I almost always get 7-8 uninterrupted hours sleep/night and have no trouble falling asleep or waking up.

I am taking Lamictal, Zoloft, and Klonopin for anxiety/depression. Klonopin slows down the racing heart, but I dislike taking it in the morning because it makes me drowsy. I can't pinpoint when this started, but it seems like a few months ago. I do have panic attacks, but the racing heart has never been a symptom before. Besides, most of my panic is related to social phobia, so it doesn't make sense that I would feel that immediately upon waking. Note that this happens while I'm still lying down - I'm not getting up too fast.

I called my psychiatrist; he doesn't think it's related to the medication, and doesn't have any solid ideas. I got a pretty thorough workup in the hospital in July (was there for neurological stuff, not heart related, though they did do an EKG) and got a clean bill of health. Where should I go from here?

Purple Heart denied?

Acacia — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:13:45 -0800

Is it true that a soldier, wounded while operating covertly, is not eligible for a Purple Heart? I fellow I met told me he was Special Forces and was shot through the arm while patrolling a communist border in '83, someplace the government would later deny being. He didn't recieve his Purple Heart because the mission was top secret and would have to be revealed on the paperwork required to apply for the medal. Is he pulling my leg, or what?

Blood for Every Limb!

EatTheWeak — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 10:17:02 -0800

I'm looking for advice on how to improve my circulation. Hi AskMe! I'm interested in improving my circulation, and I'm hoping the hivemind might have some guidance for me in this matter. I know it is best to consult medical professionals in such matters, but doctors cost a damn sight more than a $5 lifetime membership charge.

Now, with my complete lack of medical knowledge, I reckon the most obvious answer is to increase my cardiovascular exercise. If that's the case, are there any workouts better than others for promoting a strong, healthy blood flow to every part of my body? Like, is jumproping better than cycling or what? I'm looking for specific exercises, if possible.

Are there any supplements or dietary changes that I might try to boost my circulation? How significant a role does hydration play? Any and all information you might have on how to get my blood pumping better is of great interest to me.

Thank you very much.

Can arterial damage be undone?

stenoboy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:29:03 -0800

Is it possible to undo any of the damage I've done to my arteries in 43 years of eating badly? I grew up in the 1970s in rural England and our diet was full of animal fat, lots of vegetables and fresh stuff. However, all my life, I've been eating a lot of butter, pastry, cream, milk, etc, and I'm now wondering if there's anything I can do to restore my (probably) damaged arteries.

Cholesterol checks revealed high cholesterol, but that's coming down gradually through diet and exercise (and great advice from other answers here), and I'm now thinking that once I've got that under control whether any damage can be reversed.

A search on google just seems to lead to lots of sites advertising herbs for this but I doubt their efficacy.

And if I can't undo the damage, what's the best way forward to ensure circulatory health?

tead off

luriete — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:37:44 -0800

I started with Earl Grey, and drank it for years with milk, until I tried better quality teas and gave up the milk. Then oolong, which was too weak and subtle for me. Now I've moved on to Lapsang Souchong and a malty golden-tipped Guangxi black called Golden Downy. I like strong teas, with no herbal additives; can anyone suggest other teas as strong as the Lapsang, smoky or not? After a recent heart attack my cardiologist, a researcher, suggested I start drinking 4 cups of black tea every day, and that the health benefits - for my heart, at least - might rival even those of green tea. So, now I'm looking for a bit more variety.

Harder, Better, Faster, Dead?

47triple2 — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:56:13 -0800

YANMD Filter: I was told recently that my eye drops (Cosopt) could limit my heart rate: is this true? YANMD, YANAD, Etc.: I was told recently that my eye drops (Cosopt) could limit my heart's BPM. The reason for this is that one of the active ingredients (timolol) is a "non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocker." aka Beta Blocker.

I've been riding my bicycle for the past several years (because I don't have good enough vision to drive) and am worried that I could hurt/kill myself if I push my heart to hard. Obviously, I have some questions:

• Does the beta blocker really limit my max heart rate?
• If it does, what happens if I push my body to the point where it needs my heart to be at 160 bpm, but it can only do 130 bpm? (Heart Failure?)
• Finally, will my heart have adjusted (become stronger, etc.) so that when most people would need 160, it can pump at 130 and still keep up? (Just theorizing here...)

I am 16 yr. old, so my max heart rate should be 204 IIRC. Also, if it makes a difference, I'm 6'0", 135 lbs, male.

I'm going to be at the doctor's on Monday–at which point I will ask them–but I'm rather worried about it right now. (Seeing as to how I push myself rather hard when riding my bicycle.)

Thanks!

Doomed. I'm Doomed. (Am I?)

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:45:54 -0800

Every member of my family, save one, has died young from a heart attack. Am I doomed? YANAD, YANMD.

My parents, grandparents and many other relatives have all died at young ages (40-60) from their first heart attack. All smoked, most were overweight, all led mostly sedentary lifestyles, and didn't do much in the way of "eating healthy foods".

I'm a woman in her 30s who is overweight - due to being fairly sedentary and from a diagnosis of PCOS. This is the bad side.

On the "good" side, I don't smoke cigarettes, I don't drink other than a few times a year (socially), and I eat reasonably well with no fast food or other grease-laden meals. I take my vitamins (including some "heart-healthy" supplements) daily. I floss and get regular dental checkups.

I've had various tests done on my heart over the years and all have come back normal with no problems. At last check, my cholesterol was fine and my blood pressure was on the higher side of normal but my doctor (aware of my family history) is not concerned.

The problem is that I can't stop thinking that I'm going to die - any minute now - from a heart attack. Every twinge in my arm, shoulder, neck or back is surely an indicator that I'm about to drop dead. Every bit of nausea is the first stage of a heart attack. Every sore muscle is a.. well, you get the point.

It doesn't help that women have different heart attack symptoms than men - and that women tend to have vague signs like, "a general feeling of being unwell" or "panic" or "nausea" instead of some strong arm pain and crushing chest pain. Hello, I have that ALL THE TIME because I think I'm about to die!

Second to that, I have a completely fatalistic perspective on it - that there's nothing I can do to change the outcome because, thanks to my family history, I'm doomed due to genetics. I'm related to all these fatal heart attacks!

If I lose weight, get more exercise, and continue to eat healthily, can I prevent a heart attack? Has anyone beat the genetic odds? If I do have a heart attack, can I avoid dying or does the fact that no one else survived mean that, even if I get to the hospital quickly, I'll be toast?

Short of making friends with a cardiologist, do you have any advice for me?

How long to kill the heart (that pumpy thingy, not the lovey thingy)?

trinity8-director — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:00:33 -0800

How long to kill the heart (that pumpy thingy, not the lovey thingy)? I had an echocardiogram (aka, stress test) earlier this year and it got me wondering: how long would it take to go from a perfectly healthy heart to one in grave danger? Not counting, say, infectious diseases or other contributing ailments but just from lifestyle and behavior?

If a person were to suddenly start doing all the wrong things, roughly how long before the effects show up in a stress test?

Not planning on trying this out myself, just wondering.

How can the band Heart legally stop McCain/Palin from using "Barracuda"?

kongg — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:30:16 -0800

The band Heart sent a cease and desist letter to the McCain/Palin campaign for using the song "Barracuda". What is the legal basis for that? I'm a musician and familiar with the basics of entertainment law. It seems if the RNC has a license from ASCAP (that in turn pays publishers, and in this case Ann and Nancy Wilson) to play music in their catalog, they can play pretty much whatever they want.

Clubs generally have to buy ASCAP/BMI licenses if they are playing covered songs in their establishments (whether on a jukebox or a band playing live). I would think similar rules apply for playing a song at a convention.

I guess maybe the political nature of the event could change things. It could imply that Heart endorses McCain/Palin. Perhaps it could be argued that the RNC is using Heart's "name and likeness".

Still, I kind of get the feeling it's mostly about the Wilson sisters letting the world now they aren't happy about this, and hope the McCain campaign chooses something else, even if there is no legal recourse.

In the link above, some people try to answer that question, but it's drowned out in partisan bickering. While I'm (way) sympathetic to the Wilson sisters on this one, I just wonder that the legal basis is.

Previously on ask MeFi: "How does Rush Limbaugh get to use the Pretenders as his theme music?"