Recently I had my yearly physical and my EKG showed ST segment depression. My dr wants me to return for a stress test test and a follow-up EKG. Since I have a history of heart problems in my immediate family, this has me very concerned. Can anyone explain ST segment depression to me?
You need to see a cardiologist , this could come from a blood flow issue or some other problem that can be determined by echocardiogram and a stress test..it could be nothing or it could be significant. You need to have the testing done to find out..search the web and you will come up with a lot of pages to look through.
(ST segment depression can be caused by ischemia, digitalis, rapid heart rate, and temperature or electrolyte abnormality.
It can also be a “reflected” or reciprocal ST elevation (showing an inverted view of what’s happening at another place in the heart). The shape of the ST segment, and whether the abnormality is localized to leads looking at one area of the heart, often allows the cause of ST depression to be diagnosed.)
What the above states is that your heart muscle might be lacking oxygen (ischemia), which might mean there could be a narrowing in a part of the heart arteries. I doubt you are on digoxin, a rapid heart rate might be from anxiety.
WEre you ill when you had the ekg ?, that can elevate your temperature and cause st depression. If your blood work is abnormal (from something called electrolytes can cause this).
You have to look at "where" the st depression is located on the ekg. All those lines show different areas of the heart.
The stress test is a good test to test for ischemia ( if your heart is lacking oxygen at rest ( during an ekg)), a stress test will definitly show ischemia during exercise.
My landlord is a thin active guy of 45..he had a heart attack a month ago..the doctors in the hospital who did the angiogram on him said you can thank the Marlboro's for this heart attack..he smoked a pack and a half a day..the doctor said it was definitely a smoke related heart attack.
My landlord is a thin active guy of 45..he had a heart attack a month ago..the doctors in the hospital who did the angiogram on him said you can thank the Marlboro's for this heart attack..he smoked a pack and a half a day..the doctor said it was definitely a smoke related heart attack.
Lutheran122, this scares the hell out of me! That's one reason I quit in January.....just hope it's not too late.
Its good you quit, I have seem many angiograms with smoking related narrowings
jrmom, is it possible for the condition to reverse itself if smoking is stopped, or has the damage already been done?
If its irreversible, what can I expect now?
You have to wait for the stress test, if that is negative, you are fine. If that is positive, you go for nuclear stress testing, if that is abnormal, then you go for cardiac angiogram. If the narrowings are from smoking , once the nicotine leaves your system, your arteries might relax up some, but if the narrowings are combined with plaque build up, the narrrowings might remain, but they wont get worse. But you dont know if this is what it is, you half to take one test at a time and see.
On the other hand, I have also seen many beautiful arteries in angiograms from smokers, so you never know. GEt the testing done and if the tests are negative, you are in the clear
You have to wait for the stress test, if that is negative, you are fine. If that is positive, you go for nuclear stress testing, if that is abnormal, then you go for cardiac angiogram. If the narrowings are from smoking , once the nicotine leaves your system, your arteries might relax up some, but if the narrowings are combined with plaque build up, the narrrowings might remain, but they wont get worse. But you dont know if this is what it is, you half to take one test at a time and see.
On the other hand, I have also seen many beautiful arteries in angiograms from smokers, so you never know. GEt the testing done and if the tests are negative, you are in the clear
jrmom, you are a wealth of information, and I thank you sincerely.
You said, "if the narrowings are from smoking".......how is it determined if it is from smoking as opposed to another cause?
I will be seeing my internist for another EKG and stress test in April. If further testing is needed, he will refer me to a cardiologist. I pray I won't need one.
Thanks again!
By looking at narrowings, it is very hard to tell what the culprit is, usually they are a culmination of many risk factors, ie high chol, high blood pressure, diabetes ( if you have), sedentary lifestyle, stress, smoking, genetics, age, gender. So, you can see it would be hard to narrow it down to just one cause
By looking at narrowings, it is very hard to tell what the culprit is, usually they are a culmination of many risk factors, ie high chol, high blood pressure, diabetes ( if you have), sedentary lifestyle, stress, smoking, genetics, age, gender. So, you can see it would be hard to narrow it down to just one cause
Can any type daily exercise reverse the narrowings?
No, IF you have narrowings, they remain, but with lifestyle changes and medications, you can stop/slow down the progression of the disease. This is proven. (Courage Trial)
No, IF you have narrowings, they remain, but with lifestyle changes and medications, you can stop/slow down the progression of the disease. This is proven. (Courage Trial)
jrmom, when a person has ST segment depression, do they have any symptoms?
for ALL your help!
