Stress testing

Has anyone had a dobutomine stress test after a P/M fitted with AV nodal ablation. The top parameter is 120. Has anyone had one of this stress tests done after their P/M was fitted.. Also experiencing feeling like my heart is racing a lot more than the 120 BPM set by the P/M I'm a little worried about the stress test my cardiologist wants me to have. Is there anyway the heart can beat faster or go slower than the parameters set by the P/M technician

4 Comments

Upper Limits

by BillH - 2016-02-18 02:02:25

There are a number of upper limit setting in the PM and they might not always be set to the same.

And their effect depends on the heart condition that the PM is trying to control.

Upper Pacing is the maximum amount that the PM will try to pace the heart. But if the heart is working OK at that time it can naturally beat higher.

If the atrial is naturally pacing, but the ventricle is not the Ma Tracking is the fasted that the PM will force the PM to make the ventricle follow the atria.

And if you have rate response there can be a maximum of the amount that the rate response can increase the HR.

Also you can have a tachycardia that the PM can't control.

So mention this to the doctor.

"On the treadmill kind, they set a target rate, mine was 150 on my last one, and they stop the test when I hit that rate, slowed it and switched to cool down mode and the test was over."

Not always.

If there is an echo also they will not allow you to cool down, but immediately start the echo so that they can see the response of the heart beating at high rate.

Also they will often allow you to go as long as you can (unless you have negative indications such as EKG changes or drop in BP).

And there are advantages to that. The 220-age used to compute the target HR is bad formula. And even using a better one they are larger variations from person to person.

I must confess

by howdoyoumendabrokenheart - 2016-02-18 10:02:36

I was really worried when I had to take a chemical stress test. I have to say I noticed NOTHING. They saw what they needed to see, kept asking if I was OK, but I felt nothing.

I cannot say this is normal but it was my experience. I think I stressed out over having the test more than the chemical induced.

Hope you have a similar experience.

Much health to you.

PM and my upcoming stress test

by Brydie - 2016-02-18 11:02:24

Thanks guys for your encouragement with my upcoming stress test. Just need to say that the doctors destroyed the nerve that relayed the message to the heart to beat, therefore my heart now cannot beat on its own. My PM does all the beating for me. Therefore I cannot have a pulse rate of more than 120 or less than 60. At my last check up they turned my PM off and switched it back on just before I passed out. I have had this test before but it was before they destroyed the nerve that sent the beat signal to my heart. My rate during that test went to 160bpm before I started vomiting. Again thanks for your encouragement...Brydie

stress test

by Tracey_E - 2016-02-18 11:02:24

You are monitored SUPER closely during a stress test! I've never had a chemical one, only the one where you get on the treadmill, but they're constantly checking heart rate, O2 saturation, bp. There is a crash cart with other emergency supplies nearby. You could not be safer. On the treadmill kind, they set a target rate, mine was 150 on my last one, and they stop the test when I hit that rate, slowed it and switched to cool down mode and the test was over. So, if 120 is what they want to see, once you get there they'll be done.

120 is as high as it will pace you. Your heart can go faster on its own. The pacer can't prevent natural beats.

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