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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Heart Flops Or Stops, Flop Or Throb In Chest, Pulse Stops, ER, EKG, Normal Blood Work, Treadmill Stress Test, Smoke, Anxiety

I have this feeling in my chest at the very bottom of my sternum, it feels like my heart flops or stops. I was taking my pulse in my neck and at the exact time I felt the flop or throb in my chest, I could feel my pulse stop also. I got a stethoscope and listened to my heart, and while listening, it also seemed like when I felt the throb that I heard my heart stop. I have went to the e.r. 3 times thinking I was having a heart attack, ekg and bloodwork came back normal and was referred to a cardiologist for a treadmill stress test, my doc said I passed with flying colors. I am a 30 yr. Old woman, and a smoker, and these feelings are causing me great discomfort and anxiety. What is wrong with me and how do I stop it?
posted on Sun, 15 Apr 2012
Twitter Tue, 8 May 2012 Answered on
Twitter Sat, 26 May 2012 Last reviewed on
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Cardiologist,  's  Response
Hi! I have carefully gone through why you have been worried so much.

There might be three possibilities with what you have described.

1) It may be a benign anxiety induced transient cardiac arrest / complete heart block, where you might need only reassurance & cognitive behavioral therapy, exercises & yoga.

2) Smoking may cause transient dysrrhythmias, so you are required to stop smoking immediately

3) Although your EKG & cardiac evaluation is normal, you may have some intracardiac conduction defect, manifesting as transient symptoms, & so a thorough cardiac evaluation including 24 hour ambulatory cardiac monitoring would be needed & if it detects an anomalous conduction pathway causing intermittent heart blocks or dysrrhythmias, then with consultation of an eminent cardiologist the problem might be cured completely by either radiofrequency catheter ablation of the anomalous pathway or with antiarrythmic agents or implantable cardiovertor defibrillator.
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Heart Flops Or Stops, Flop Or Throb In Chest, Pulse Stops, ER, EKG, Normal Blood Work, Treadmill Stress Test, Smoke, Anxiety

Hi! I have carefully gone through why you have been worried so much. There might be three possibilities with what you have described. 1) It may be a benign anxiety induced transient cardiac arrest / complete heart block, where you might need only reassurance & cognitive behavioral therapy, exercises & yoga. 2) Smoking may cause transient dysrrhythmias, so you are required to stop smoking immediately 3) Although your EKG & cardiac evaluation is normal, you may have some intracardiac conduction defect, manifesting as transient symptoms, & so a thorough cardiac evaluation including 24 hour ambulatory cardiac monitoring would be needed & if it detects an anomalous conduction pathway causing intermittent heart blocks or dysrrhythmias, then with consultation of an eminent cardiologist the problem might be cured completely by either radiofrequency catheter ablation of the anomalous pathway or with antiarrythmic agents or implantable cardiovertor defibrillator.