ECG scan - showing had a heart attack - wtf?

[Mother Goose]

Very scary for you! BUT, wait and see what the results show. I know it's easy to say - but as a nurse I always tell my patients to stay with the now. Don't jump ahead. Wait and see what comes of the next test and what they suggest from there.

Unfortunately, heart attacks are non-discriminatory. Yes, there are things that will pre-dispose a person to the likliehood of a heart attack, but it can happen to anyone anytime. I see a lot of very young and fit people undergoing tests for ongoing chest pain, known heart attacks and so forth. It's not just the obese patient with poor diet, smoker, and lack of exercise.

Many women are caught out because they often present with different symptoms to men. Many women don't exhibit mainstream or common symptoms associated with a heart attack - or only select symptoms - and so don't realise they are experiencing a heart attack. Many women who come through often say their only symptom was nausea. Or tingling down the RIGHT arm (usually pain and tingling is down the left). Many women will tell you that they have presented somewhere with chest pain, to find they've almost been hauled through the triage window and thrown onto a trolley for an ECG before they've had a chance to finish their sentence. Chest pain in women is very serious. It's also important to note that chest pain isn't necessarily a stabbing type pain or even a sharp pain. It can feel like a stitch. Or a common description is a vice squeezing the chest (or someone sitting on them). ANY chest discomfort accompanied by shortness of breath (even with no other symptoms) should be treated very seriously. If it turns out to be nothing, laugh about it later. .

I hope your tests come back with a good report and a good action plan for you.

I see you're out West in Vic. Two very good cardiologists out that way (if you need one) are Andrew Burns and Andrew Wilson (bit of an odd ball but very very good). I work with both and they are excellent - I'd have either of them work on me if I ever needed it! (And considering I have a rule of not being a patient where I work or being cared for by anyone I've ever worked with, that says a lot!).

MG

[Caz1971]

Very scary for you! BUT, wait and see what the results show. I know it's easy to say - but as a nurse I always tell my patients to stay with the now. Don't jump ahead. Wait and see what comes of the next test and what they suggest from there.

Unfortunately, heart attacks are non-discriminatory. Yes, there are things that will pre-dispose a person to the likliehood of a heart attack, but it can happen to anyone anytime. I see a lot of very young and fit people undergoing tests for ongoing chest pain, known heart attacks and so forth. It's not just the obese patient with poor diet, smoker, and lack of exercise.

Many women are caught out because they often present with different symptoms to men. Many women don't exhibit mainstream or common symptoms associated with a heart attack - or only select symptoms - and so don't realise they are experiencing a heart attack. Many women who come through often say their only symptom was nausea. Or tingling down the RIGHT arm (usually pain and tingling is down the left). Many women will tell you that they have presented somewhere with chest pain, to find they've almost been hauled through the triage window and thrown onto a trolley for an ECG before they've had a chance to finish their sentence. Chest pain in women is very serious. It's also important to note that chest pain isn't necessarily a stabbing type pain or even a sharp pain. It can feel like a stitch. Or a common description is a vice squeezing the chest (or someone sitting on them). ANY chest discomfort accompanied by shortness of breath (even with no other symptoms) should be treated very seriously. If it turns out to be nothing, laugh about it later. .

I hope your tests come back with a good report and a good action plan for you.

I see you're out West in Vic. Two very good cardiologists out that way (if you need one) are Andrew Burns and Andrew Wilson (bit of an odd ball but very very good). I work with both and they are excellent - I'd have either of them work on me if I ever needed it! (And considering I have a rule of not being a patient where I work or being cared for by anyone I've ever worked with, that says a lot!).

MG

Gday Mother Goose, the cardiologist that saw me was at Western health (footscray hossy). I saw him before i was outpatiented. Im doing the echo thing tomorrow night so wish me luck. Thanks ladies. Yeah Id never think this kind of thing wud happen to me. I dont even smoke, maybe its from all that chocolate!