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Has High Heart Rate. Had Pacemaker Placed, Defibrillator. Does He Need Heart Transplant?
hi, my son is having problems with high heart rate, as high as 160 they finally got it down to 110 in the ER they gave him some medicine that said may stop his heart and brought the crash cart in just incase they said they wanted to reset his heart?. it didnt work they said they gave him a prescription to lower his heartrate then sent him home... he will go to the heart doctor next week ..He is 18 yrs old....His sister had to have a pacemaker placed 10 years ago due to too low heartrate. and his dad has a disease that his heart dont pump the blood well and he has a defibulator and dr.s say needs a heart transplant. Can you tell me what may be the reason why he has such a high heart rate. He has no other medical issues and never had until now.
posted on
Sat, 20 Jul 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 20 Jul 2013
Answered on
Mon, 22 Jul 2013
Last reviewed on
Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic
You have not mentioned the results of investigations done so far.../ the age at which his father had the problem and its exact nature... Probably, it is an inherited disease/ likely involving the nerves (conduction system) of the heart...or muscle (Cardiomyopathy)
HOLTER (24 to 48 hour ambulatory monitoring) / ECHOcardiogram / TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) / LABORATORY work-up – may all be necessary for further assessment and assistance.
He may need Electro Physiological Studies (EPS) > it resembles angio – a catheter is put inside the heart / electrical activity recorded / stimulation and suppression tests are carried out / suitable medicine tested and so on. Though the test is the gold standard, it is INVASIVE and is not generally done unless there are compelling indications. This super-speciality expert is called ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGIST. The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
There are other advanced treatment modalities - like ablation (thermal or radio-frequency), which could be done during EPS.
The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
Welcome to Health Care Magic
You have not mentioned the results of investigations done so far.../ the age at which his father had the problem and its exact nature... Probably, it is an inherited disease/ likely involving the nerves (conduction system) of the heart...or muscle (Cardiomyopathy)
HOLTER (24 to 48 hour ambulatory monitoring) / ECHOcardiogram / TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) / LABORATORY work-up – may all be necessary for further assessment and assistance.
He may need Electro Physiological Studies (EPS) > it resembles angio – a catheter is put inside the heart / electrical activity recorded / stimulation and suppression tests are carried out / suitable medicine tested and so on. Though the test is the gold standard, it is INVASIVE and is not generally done unless there are compelling indications. This super-speciality expert is called ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGIST. The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
There are other advanced treatment modalities - like ablation (thermal or radio-frequency), which could be done during EPS.
The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.
Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck
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