At what point do I call 911. My partner is a well controlled diabetic, age 82, tall and slim, 160 lbs. He has occasional rapid heartbeat that also pounds on the top of his head. He has had a pacemaker for six months. Along with a new cough and cold he has had two episodes in the last two days but otherwise this happens only occasionally. He bounced back yesterday and felt great until this afternoon. Again he is weak, tired and and is trying to sleep it off. Not showing stroke signs so far. Cardiologist on last visit a month or more ago seemed unconcerned. Nurse Practitioner says all his blood tests etc. are great.
Hi welcome to Chat Doctor. I understand your query and concern. Atrial fibrillation is known to cause Rapid heart rate and fluctuations in blood pressure. I advise you to have a baseline 2 dimensional echocardiography, ECG and lipid profile to assess the basic cardiac reserve of your heart. Restrict the intake of salt to less than 6g/day. Regular physical exercise in the form of brisk walk for 20 min a daily is useful. Chat Doctor. Reduce the intake of fatty and fried food. Electrophysiological study with or without Radiofrequency ablation is the procedure of choice in your case. You may also need Coronary angiogram to look for any co-existent blocks in the heart. Consult a Cardiologist and discuss for further expert management.