Stress test?

[dancer67]

I have had heart palp's seemingly all of my life. Recently I was diagnosed with HBP and was placed on 12.5 HCZT( Thiadize ). I am off that now and on a low dose of Liprinisol and my BP has come down to a healthy number.

 

I started to have this weird chest pain that started in the front of my chest near my breastbone and go all the way around my chest. Kind of like air, or squeezing. I had it off and on now for about 6 months.

 

Well, it was finally enough to scare me when I had another one

last week, I called my primary care and she said I should go to ER.

Hubby took me to the ER. I do have high anxiety, and have also had this for years as well. They did an EKG, bloodwork, and a chest X-Ray and all came back normal.

 

They did discover that I had low Potassium, which could be from the diuretic. The ER Dr feels the chest pain was a result of anxiety. Possibly Low Potassium.

I asked him then if I should follow up with a cardiologist and have a stress test or any other testing done. He said to f/u with my primary Dr first, but he would not recommend a stress test for a woman of my age(42) because 40% of them come back false positive, and in someone with anxiety, would cause possibly unecessary worry because I would have no choice but to follow up with a Cardiac Cath test to now rule out a blockage.

 

So I did follow up with my PCP. She did suggest an Echocardiogram, and a 24-48 hour Halter Monitor, which will be done on the 27th of this month. But I was talking to the nurse this morning about some bloodwork results(only thing bad was my low potassium still and my Vitamin D was real low) and she said that my Dr would also like a stress test done.

 

I am very reluctant to have this done. If my EKG, bloodwork, and chest was normal. And then I have an Echo and Halter and that is normal, would you go ahead and have this stress test done anyway? Taking a risk of a false positive?

 

I have no family history of heart disease. My Cholesterol in 2008 was excellent, but had it retested in 2009 and Trigs were excellent, but Cholestesterol was 213, and HDL and LDL were high and low. I need to be tested every year for Cholestesterol as I am on a medication that can cause high numbers. I am scheduled for Cholesterol recheck on the 25th of this month.

 

So the ER Doctor said "no way" to Stress test. But primary care Dr.

ordered it.

 

What do you think? Can I wait for Echo results and Halter first? Or it won't matter, I should get it done anyways?

 

Thank you for any advice:D

[dancer67]

:lurk5: