Comments on: Can Heart Disease Be Detected By Listening To The Heart?

By: Bud

Bud — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:09:42 +0000

I am very sorry about your dad. It is a terrible loss.
As you can see, there can be different interpretations of an ECG (EKG is the old German acronym for elektrokardiogramm). Also did both doctors look at the same ECG tracings? Or did the cardiologist take another reading? If taken at different times it could indicate that either you are ok or that your symptoms are not always present. I would think the pediatric cardiologist would have more experience at interpreting an ECG. If you are really concerned another opinion may be in order. That or have a portable monitor for a full day (24 hrs) to see if the condition is intermittent. Considering chest pain and your family history it may not be excessive. At the very least you would know for sure if there are any worries. Also it would give the doctors a good baseline reference for your heart function. A yearly physical with blood tests for cholesterol, triglycerides and CBC may be in order. This with your family doctor. Add also a yearly visit with a cardiologist. All that being said, at 17 a heart problem is not likely. But in your case better to play it safe.

By: Free2Day

Free2Day — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:43:32 +0000

I see you’re on the same end of the stick I am on. Multiple Answers from different Professionals…..
Time for one more opinion (3rd doctor) this doc should place a halter monitor on you as well as schedule an Echo Cardiogram. Let this doctor look at your EKG for a determination.
You may also need to have a Pulmonary Specialist take a look at your bronchial for spasms.
If you pass everything…then I suppose a complete work up would be in order. Possibly a full CAT Scan or MRI even exploratory surgery to determine what is going on.
Now of course this is all based on you having “clean hands”. What do I mean by that? No household chemical sniffing, no choking games, no abuse of any substance, no use of any illegal substance, no alcohol, eating well, sleeping at night instead being up all night on warcraft games. The list goes on and on….
Hope this helps….

By: izzy

izzy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:59:42 +0000

If you had a prolapsed valve it would have been detected by now.
Have the echo cardiogram, then you will be less worried about what might or might not be wrong with your heart.
I am sorry about your dad, you are bound to feel anxious and anxiety is no good to anybody’s health.
Are you left handed?
It’s easy to pull intercostal (between the ribs) muscles playing sport.
I did one just reaching for something on a high shelf and it lasted for ages.
Your doctor must know your family history, let her decide how often she needs to see you.
Tell her how you feel and ask how often she recommends you go in for a check up.
You need to go as often as it takes to stop you worrying.
But you have to trust her and any cardiologist you see. If you can’t feel that trust ask for a second opinion.
My grand children lost their dad 2 years ago too, he was 46, so I have some idea of what you are going through.

By: gangadharan nair

gangadharan nair — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:07:44 +0000

You may undergo echocardiography stress test. Some heart diseases such as Left bundle branch block, Right bundle branch block, Atrial septal defect, Atrial stenosis, Pulmonic stenosis, Mitral regurgitation, Ventricular septal defect, Patent ductus arteriosus, etc., can be detected by listening the heart murmurs.
You can hear heart murmurs if you click loudspeaker icon in Merck’s web page.

By: The Only Logical Solution

The Only Logical Solution — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:51:25 +0000

Specific problems, no. But a doctor can tell by listening, any heartbeat irregularities or murmurs.
Depending on your insurance, you should see a heart specialist where they can do an ultrasound of the heart.
Personally, I’d have my heart checked every year, or at every office visit. As you get older, say mid-20′s you might change that to twice a year. But that’s a guess. Every move you make, medically should be under a doctor’s advisement.

By: Dr Frank

Dr Frank — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:40:00 +0000

In the light of current ease of availability of tests like echocardiograms and the fact that they are totally non invasive,it would not have been unreasonable to perform one now.