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Sinus Bradycardia

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dtclou

Question

I'm trying to weed thru the SMR papers & make a useful stack & other stack.

So far in my husbands SMR I just got I found 3 "Sinus Bradycardia" w/ECG .

What is this??? What are normal results?

On top of 1 from 1990 it reads "Marked Sinus Bradycardia w/sinus arrhythmia abnormal ECG" PRT axes 45-79-67 (I can give more #'s if someone tells me what to look for????)

On top of another in 1993 "Sinus Bradycardia w/occational premature atrial complexes rightward axis borderline ECG " PRT axes 27-95-44

**there is a black ink line marking out "occasional premature atrial complexes righwar axix" and some writting - can't read well.

Then a 3rd 1 month later that reads "Sinus Bradycardia otherwise normal ECG" PRT axes 66-78-60

**This one has his last name & ss written on the side - but not filled electronically in Name/age section - just written off to the side in the same back ink.

Are these normal results?

Does he have a heart problems?

He was never told about any of this & I don't know what it is? Should I make him take it to his next civilian Dr appt - does it need follow up ? or are these normal results?

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"Should I make him take it to his next civilian Dr appt - does it need follow up ? or are these normal results"

I would definitely take this to his doctor and ask what it means and what significance it could have to him today- the doc might order more tests but better to know what is what-

It could mean nothing to worry about but we aren't doctors here-hard to say what this means.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

In sinus bradycardia, the heart beats regularly but more slowly than usual (less than 60 beats per minute). Sick sinus syndrome is malfunction of the heart's natural pacemaker (sinus or sinoatrial node) that causes heart rhythm to vary randomly.

JUst to be on the safe side, he should have a follow-up 12 Lead Electrocardiogram (ECG) - and be evaluated by a cardiologist.

JMHO.

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dtclou,

Yes, take the records to his civilian doctor and ask for a referral to a cardiologist. Bradycardia is a slow heart rate, anything below 50 bpm (unless someone is extremely well-conditioned), is urgent and should be investigated to find out the cause. My husband had to be hospitalized twice for being below 50. You should find his pulse rate recorded on every doctor visit.

It can be caused by medications, such as beta blockers (carvedilol and metopralol come to mind). I'm not a nurse or doctor, but I'm familiar with some of the other information you posted and it tells me his "marked" sinus bradycardia needs attention. It should have been followed closely, even if medications caused it. I don't mean to alarm you unnecessarily, but the heart rate can drop so slow it stops.

You are a good wife to be checking his records so closely. How long has this been going on? Could they be treating him for this and you aren't aware of it? It's hard to keep up with all the different medications, but you can research them online.

If it is not his medication, your husband could be having problems with conduction system disease--the electrical signals to his heart that causes it to beat and stay in rhythm. My husband is waiting to be sheduled this week for a pacemaker because of this. His rate has gone as low as 19 and frequently goes to 30. The problem is, they can check it one minute and it's normal but five minutes later it's dangerously low. The VA did a 24-hour Holter Monitor study and found his rate from 30 to 146 at rest (he can do nothing but rest, thanks to the quacks at the VA outpatient clinic). The heart tries to compensate and that can cause a heart attack. Don't delay in finding out what is going on.

God bless you, I wish you the best in this. Keep taking good care of your husband. Berta's shocking statement in answer to one of my posts brings it all home...her husband is lying under two feet of snow today because of VA's lack of appropriate treatment for his heart. We all need to be actively involved in our own medical care and we should regularly READ the record. We should not stop at just getting a copy.

Carrie

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Thank you. I will have him take it in. I just got these SMR & trying to find what's important. I'll have him take it - he goes back end of this month for his HBP check to see how meds are working for him (he's only 35) First found HBP at 30 is that abnormally young?

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Thank you. I will have him take it in. I just got these SMR & trying to find what's important. I'll have him take it - he goes back end of this month for his HBP check to see how meds are working for him (he's only 35) First found HBP at 30 is that abnormally young?

My husband's HBP began at 30 also. It can start at any age and often the cause is unknown. As far as his disability is concerned, HBP can cause a host of other serious conditions, and it is of utmost importance to control it. The doctors are serious when they say watch the sodium. The salt shaker has to go, but that's not the only source of sodium. If you aren't already watching the sodium, you probably will be surprised to see how much sodium is in processed foods, compared to how much he should have.

Hypertension is one of the VA's chronic presumptive conditions for service connection. And don't forget, HBP medications can cause problems and aggravate other conditions that could be rated secondary to HBP.

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How do you get Hypertention rated as presumptive? They denied him S/C just receintly. He is finally staying on the medication & it is helping control the HBP. He never like much salt, and is trying to eat healthier now. Thanks for the advise.

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