Q:
my husband went to the dr.s for a check up last week. The dr did an ekg on him because he has never had one..he is 53. They called today and said he had a specialist or wanted a specialist to see him to do stress echo. They said his ekg was abnormal…maybe poor circulation, blocked arteries…my huband was so nervous he forgot almost everything he said. Once and a while, especially when he is stressed, he feels his heart flutter or beat funny. What could it be…he is a nervous wreck, I’m afraid he is going to give himself a heart attack with worry. Thanks for your help
A:
Beyond telling you he needs to follow his doctor’s advice I don’t know what to say since I don’t know what the EKG showed. At age 54 he may have all sorts of risk factors for heart disease that may include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking etc.
You can read about those things here:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-information/your-cholesterol
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-information/atherosclerosis
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-information/hypertension
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-information/coronary-artery-disease
This is the kind of tests his doctor should send him for:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/heart-disease-diagnosis/exercise-stress-t
It will determine whether or not he has coronary artery disease (CAD)
Meanwhile, you or he can determine for yourself whether he is at risk:
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/app/risk-assessment.php
As scary as all that may sound, if CAD is diagnosed in time, treatments can avoid complications such as a heart attack, so be glad his doctor is alert!
Hope this helps,
Dr T
http://www.cardiac-risk-assessment.com/