holter monitor/echo test?

Question

on thursday i have to get an echo test and a holter put on for 24 hours and i’m really scared. will it hurt? it’s a 2d echo, not a stress test or anything. i’ve never had anything wrong with my heart before…it’s been racing at night and i had an ekg but it was normal. what if they find something? what could be wrong? i’m freaking out. they took blood too to see if it’s a thyroid thing or something. i don’t know..i’m 20 years old..i don’t know what could even be wrong.

Dr. Nina Hettinger I · Accepted Answer

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It gives the doctor a real time look at the heart as it is working, so he/she can see if things look pretty normal or not. A Holter monitor is a portable EKG that gives the doctor a 24-hour, continuous record of your heart rhythms. Both tests are what is called ‘noninvasive’ which means they don’t break the skin to insert anything. Both tests are entirely painless, and during the echo you’ll probably get to watch your heart on the monitor as well. It’s interesting!There are lots of things that can affect heart rhythm, not all of them situated in the heart and not all of them very serious. The blood test for your thyroid was to determine if you have an excessive amount of thyroid hormone in your bloodstream, since the thyroid controls metabolic rate, and so an excess of hormone can cause palpitations or an increased heart rate. This is very easy to treat. But if this IS a heart issue, most especially if it is a genetic defect, you would be very, very lucky to have caught it this way. Doctors have a huge arsenal to deal with heart problems now, and any problem you might have is probably easily treatable. The key is to diagnose it, which is what these tests are all about, and they are gentle, noninvasive, and in the case of the echo, interesting tests to take. You’ll be just fine. Quit worrying.

Dr. Nina Hettinger I · Answer

Holters Test

Dr. Nina Hettinger I · Answer

Echo’s don’t hurt at all. I have had one at least once or twice a year since i was born(im 18 now) and they have never hurt. Sometimes they press a little hard, but its just a pressure feeling it doesn’t hurt. A holter monitor also does not hurt, its basically like a portable EKG, same things just portable. You could maybe have an undiagnosed congenital heart defect(one your born with) or maybe an arrhythmia or electrical problem? whatever it is im sure your cardiologist will be able get you fixed up. try not to worry to much.

Oswald Hills

holter monitor/echo test?

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