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Asklemmy @lemmy.ml
thespcicifcocean @lemmy.world

When should I be worried about cardiac health?

For the past few days I've been having pain in my chest and neck. It feels tight and like a bunch of pressure on my chest. I was worried enough to go to the ER for it yesterday. My resting HR was 104 and blood pressure was 130/95 when i got into the hospital. It lowered while waiting for the doctor to see me. They did an ECG and a blood test.

Doc says my ECG looked normal, but they had to redo my blood test because my troponin levels were at "7". They said that I didn't have a heart attack, but when I'm researching troponin levels, anything above a 4 is indicative of damage to the heart.

I also told the doc that i have depression and anxiety. he chalked it up as anxiety attacks.

At this point, does it sound like I should go see a cardiologist?

17 评论

  • Go and see your GP. It wasn't a heart attack but it was a wake up call and I don't think jumping to seeing a cardiologist will be that helpful, although a GP can refer you on if they think you need it.

    I was in the foothills of heart health problems - high BP, cholesterol creeping up, etc. and the health staff were starting to express concern (suggesting I might need to go on statins). So I turned it around in two years and at my last health check my weight and bloods were all "perfect" according to the nurse. So it is doable.

    However, from what you say, mental health issues may be holding you back and making important and sweeping changes to your lifestyle require effort and focus. So the GP may want to get this addressed while starting to monitor your health through regular checks. I found the checks motivating in themselves as the data can really prod you into action because you no longer can say you are probably unhealthy - it is there in stark numbers. I also suspect I was slightly gamifying it as I made beating the numbers a focus and figuring out what I needed to do to adjust each on (as lowering triglyceride levels requires different action to lowering LDL, bad cholesterol). I even made a spreadsheet.

  • Yeah, you definitely need to see a doctor.

    I'm assuming the er doc was giving you the easier to understand numbers, but a "7" would still be a good bit higher than you'd expect to see in someone with no damage to the heart muscle unless there's something else weird going on.

    Nobody online can tell you what's going on, obviously, but I would consider this an urgent matter. It isn't absolutely a heart issue, but none of the things that can cause elevated troponin are beneficial. With a normal EKG, you weren't having an immediate issue, but I would definitely be calling your GP now to get the ball rolling. Most of the things that would have your troponin levels to be at that range are very treatable, as in after treatment, the problem is resolved and only needs monitoring over time. The rest are still treatable, but may need more than monitoring.

    So don't fuck around about it, but also don't panic.

    With the ER doc not being overly concerned after two tests (which is the norm; changes in levels matter a good bit), it isn't something where you have to see your doctor now, as in go and camp out in the office until you're seen. But I would say to request the earliest possible appointment because they probably will refer you to a cardiologist, and the sooner you get the referral, the sooner you're seen by one.

    Again, don't panic, your health isn't ideal, but since it's confirmed you didn't have a heart attack, chances are really good that with treatment and lifestyle changes, you're going to be fine long term.

17 评论