I am 42 year old white female with Mitral Valve Prolaspe. I do not have symptoms besides a little pain in the center of my chest when I am tired. I enjoy biking and playing with my children but I am no athlete. I am 5 feet tall and overweight. My BMI is 25. I have been dieting so now I find out I need my gallbladder removed. My EKG was off so I am being sent to a cardio doctor immediately. My question is what effects the results of EKG's? I recently had an Echo and it was normal. My doctor recently put me on Lasix and Potassium for high BP instead of changing my BP med which is Lotrel 5/10. Also, I had taken a Claritin D tablet the day the EKG was done. Would those meds have thrown the EKG off? A month ago I was cleared to take a biking class and did so. I was slow but I really enjoyed it and did not have any bad effects. I admit that when I see the doctor I am nervous. The nurse that did the EKG did it so fast that I did not realize it was over. I am more nervous now and I am pain from the gallbladder. I do not to take pain meds especially Vicodin which seems to be every doctors favorite for some reason.

I am 42 year old white female with Mitral Valve Prolaspe. I do not have symptoms besides a little pain in the center of my chest when I am tired. I enjoy biking and playing with my children but I am no athlete. I am 5 feet tall and overweight. My BMI is 25. I have been dieting so now I find out I need my gallbladder removed. My EKG was off so I am being sent to a cardio doctor immediately. My question is what effects the results of EKG's? I recently had an Echo and it was normal. My doctor recently put me on Lasix and Potassium for high BP instead of changing my BP med which is Lotrel 5/10. Also, I had taken a Claritin D tablet the day the EKG was done. Would those meds have thrown the EKG off? A month ago I was cleared to take a biking class and did so. I was slow but I really enjoyed it and did not have any bad effects. I admit that when I see the doctor I am nervous. The nurse that did the EKG did it so fast that I did not realize it was over. I am more nervous now and I am pain from the gallbladder. I do not to take pain meds especially Vicodin which seems to be every doctors favorite for some reason.


Hi dixiepeep,

Yes, indeed, medication will affect EKG. But the interpretation of EKG should take that into consideration.

The EKG can or should be able to detect heart muscle damage, enlarged heart, etc. Probably the best test for rhythm disorders, and the echo is better for valve disorder and any structual abnormalities and functioning capacity.

I was given lasix for a year for congested heart failure. It is a very powerful drug and blocks absorption of salts and fluids in the kidney and is a diuretic. If there is a kidney problem the sudden loss of water and elctrolytes (proper balance of eletrolytes for normal EKG result!!) can exacerbate a kidney problem. With that medication you should have your kidney function monitored regularily.

It is my understanding Lasix does not deplete potassium as does some other diuretics. My experience with Lasix did not require potassium! Too much potassium can cause another medical problem.

Lenin's mother was on Lasix so he may have an opinion and more knowledge of the drug than I. It seems to me, I would have been given potassium supplements!? Frankly, I question Lasix as appropriate based on the information you provide.

thanks for you answer. A month earlier I was given a letter stating that I was in good health so maybe the it is an error. Also, the technician barely let me sit down before she hooked me up. I wondered if that would make the test show up odd. I tend to get nervous too. I will the Dr. On Thursday and I will tell him about the change in meds. Again, thanks for your help.Hi dixiepeep,

Yes, indeed, medication will affect EKG. But the interpretation of EKG should take that into consideration.

The EKG can or should be able to detect heart muscle damage, enlarged heart, etc. Probably the best test for rhythm disorders, and the echo is better for valve disorder and any structual abnormalities and functioning capacity.

I was given lasix for a year for congested heart failure. It is a very powerful drug and blocks absorption of salts and fluids in the kidney and is a diuretic. If there is a kidney problem the sudden loss of water and elctrolytes (proper balance of eletrolytes for normal EKG result!!) can exacerbate a kidney problem. With that medication you should have your kidney function monitored regularily.

It is my understanding Lasix does not deplete potassium as does some other diuretics. My experience with Lasix did not require potassium! Too much potassium can cause another medical problem.

Lenin's mother was on Lasix so he may have an opinion and more knowledge of the drug than I. It seems to me, I would have been given potassium supplements!? Frankly, I question Lasix as appropriate based on the information you provide.

I had an appointment with my cardiologist last week, just a check up. Because I had not been in for over a year, they started by updating my EKG. The cardiologist came in and did her exam and was very pleased with my weight loss in a year (60 pounds) as well as my blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. Then she read the EKG and said there was a change from my previous EKG's. She got extremely concerned and said that she was afraid I had a silent heart attack sometime over the last year and asked me again about any symptoms which I told her I had none over the past year. I also told her I have kept up my daily exercise as she prescribed and she finally said she though it was a lead placement issue so she had a "more experienced" tech run the EKG again. I could hear them talk in the hallway where she told the tech to bring her the results right away and not unhook me until she sees them and that she was going to send me directly to imaging if the EKG was still bad. Long story short, when the "more experienced" tech ran my EKG it was a perfect match to all my others and showed no signs of any issues. Just goes to show you, hey can make mistakes as well.

Good Luck.

( I had my gallbladder out in May last year, peice of cake)