My 45 yr old husband has been failing faint for the past week.?

He asked me to take him to the hospital this past Sunday. He is still there and it is Tues. eve. Since Sunday, his heart rate, which has ALWAYS been low (bradycardia) usually 50bpm, has been in the 30's. The doctor ordered EKG, blood and stress test - they came back negative. An echocardiogram was ordered, but our regular doctor's office keeps faxing the report to the wrong hospital, so we don't have the results yet. Today he had a carotid artery Doppler test as well as a chest MRI. We don't have results yet. He doesn't feel faint today, but he has a heaviness in his chest and since yesterday, he said it has morphed into feeling like a burning inside his chest. They gave him an injection for gastric relief- the nurse thought perhaps the burning is heartburn. He is in good shape, not overweight, does not smoke, drinks a little, works very hard.
What could it be? So far, they don't know. Can anyone hazard a guess as to what it is? Tomorrow they want to do a catheterization.

No other symptoms? Maybe test for liver problems, Hepititus and a tear in the aorta. That chump doctor that keeps sending the information to the wrong hospital needs a phone call to blast him into getting that right. I would start to push these people into getting you some results--fast. Ask why they want to do a catheterization if they don't have results yet. Contact a heart specialist for a second opinion, let them know this is something that needs attention now, not tomorrow.

I'll say a prayer.

I don't understand why you want some offhand diagnosis from a complete stranger. It can only cause you more anxiety.

Try not to worry

I really wouldn't want to venture a guess to what the problem might be. Just know that everyone on Yahoo is sorry to hear of your husband's problem and wishes him nothing but the best.

How is his blood pressure? Cholesterol? Circulation? Blood sugar (glucose)? What does his diet consist of? It can be anything from stress to gas, but I pray that you will get answers soon!!!
~*GodBless*~

The doppler is a good idea-- he may have a slight leak.

Good going, getting him into the hospital. Keep a close eye on him and make sure he gets excellent nutrition, including high grade supplements like Vemma, essential vitamins and minerals that are no longer available in today's food. So much of the food these days is depleted.

Hydration and sun may help too. Stay in touch with the doctors.

It's hard to say what's going on with your husband at the moment. The doctors will be able to diagnose when they have results from the MRI, echo, and especially the catherization back. Just try to hang in there and we will have prayer for him (and you). Good luck and God bless!

You need to take him to a different hospital NOW!!!

They have very likely misdiagnosed him, even though test results are coming back negative. There is clearly something wrong with his heart's electrical system, a block of the atrial pathway, due to some interference. The most common interference in the pathway is insufficiency, (lack or reduction in the blood supply). The most common cause of that is vascular clogging or valve malfunction. Some tests can show negative, then the secondary testing shows positive. Like an Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT or Stress Test) can show negative, then a Nuclear Scanned ETT shows clear blockage.

He should have a second battery of cardiac tests, in light of the heart rate change and classic signs of angina or possibly heart disease. Cardiologist referral, Nuclear ETT, Holter monitor testing, results, then see what testing would be indicated from there.

Remember, the most common cause of death in medicine is malpractice.

Perhaps an aneurysm, that is a weakness in the wall of a artery. The prognosis now days is much better than even 5 years ago, but its still scary and difficult to treat. He should rest and do as little as possible to excite or stress himself or raise his blood pressure until you have all the results from the tests. God Bless and good luck.

Wow - my thoughts are with you. First thought is a heart attack - is he under a lot of stress? If his heart beat slowed suddenly he could have had a heart attack. (Yahoo Health)

I'm NO doctor or even in the health profession but questions I found online could help you - do some internet research and come up with questions after your research to ask the doctors - give them an idea of tests to try. If that doesn't work switch hospitals. Also call your doctors office and rip them a new %^&hole.

I didn't know of your husbands condition so I looked it up... the first thing I noted is the "EKG was negative" how could it be if his heart is beating at 30 bpm.

Have the doctors checked for electrolyte imbalances (high or low potassium levels)? A pacemaker could be the next step for him. (IVillage)

Good luck to you!

Be patient and leave it to the professionals.

I hope your husband gets better.

Well first of all a heart rate of 30 is very bad. I have been a monitor tech for many years (I monitor the heart rhythms on the cardiac floor) So the faintness that he is feeling could be directly related to his heart rate.

In the Heart Catheterization the doctors are going to be looking for any blockages or tightening of the arteries. If they can't find any then they may consider drug therapy to increase his heart rate. If there are blockages they will do a Stent which will increase the blood flow and make his heart more efficient. A Stent is a small piece of wire type netting that is put into the tightened area and expanded to allow the blood to flow through more easily. Worst case scenario would be Open Heart Surgery. This would happen if there was a 100% blockage of any of his arteries. They would take a vein from an arm or leg and use it to create another venue for the blood to flow through, bypassing the blocked artery.

But since your husband is a non smoker, not overweight and in good shape his likely hood of having heart disease is pretty low (unless he has a family history of it). His problem is most likely rhythm related and drugs are a common treatment.

Hope this helps you understand a little better. Good luck

If his heart rate is that slow, then he could have had one or more heart attacks in the past that caused heart tissue damage. If the damage was to one of the three heart "pacemaker" tissue areas, then that could affect the heart rate and slow it down (bradycardia) or make it so slow that it becomes fast and feathery (arrhythmia). If it is in the 30's then he could have major damage to his heart and might require heart surgery or a pacemaker even. But usually the EKG and the stress test would reflect that sort of damage...Heavy drinking can kill heart cells and brain cells (along with liver), but you say he only drinks a little...Pray that everything will be alright.

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