Ringman,
sounds like you were going into V Fib..
glad to hear it got better for you..
you and I are getting to the age, we are no longer bullet proof.
If we don't see you tomorrow, we'll know why...
you take it easy and get well..
did the doc's talk about the potential need of a Pacemaker to be considered?
Did they take you to Three Rivers or RVMC?
NOt Vfib...thats what happens just before asystole...or flat line. Ventricular tachacardia, however, sounds like the culprit. Those rythems MUST be shocked, and typically the patient does not remain conscious. Sometimes a vagal manuver can do the trick to stop it. In upper chamber arrythmias, Like Afib (atrial fibrillation)some patients never have symptoms. But as another poster mentioned, afib can cause blood clots and stroke. Diagnoses of afib ALWAYS should include a blood thinner of some kind. Coumadin, plavix combos ect...In ventricular arrythmias (the lethal arrythmias) there is a drug called Adenosine...given IV...which literally stops the heart for a split second or two and reboots the ventricles rythem pattern. I use to tell patients that they would feel light headed. Some would lose consciousness while others would feel dizzy or faint. Wired to a defibrillator, its not too terribly risky. In 18 years of trauma/ICU nursing, I never saw a heart stopped with Adenosine that didnt restart. The half life is mere seconds so it can literally lose potency in the IV line if not flushed rapidly with saline. SVT (supraventricular tachacardia) is treated with Adenosine...among other things. Upper chamber (atrial) dysrythmias can cause fatal problems if left untreated. Lower chamber (ventricular) dysrythmias ARE FATAL IF NOT IMMEDIATLY SHOCKED OR DO NOT RESUME NORMAL FUNCTION SPONTANEOUSLY.
Im very glad it resolved for you but am suprised they let you go home without a heart cath at minimum and further testing like a Persantine Thallium stress test and serial cardiac enzymes over a few days.If you feel that return, get to an ER ASAP!!
