[andy02]

Has anyone been told that their ECG suggest the left wall of the heart is enlarged? My doctor things this is because of my cycling and having a thin chest wall. I guess at 130 pounds and 5 foot8 the program on the ECG reads my result as LVH. She said that one study she saw sugggest that 40% of competive cyclist showed this on their ECG but less then 5% really had any change in heart structure (by echocardiogram). But because of the 5% I need a echo anyway.

 

[Bonked]

don't have that, but i do have an extra beat every now and then. wore a monitor for a day and got an echo. diagnosis: nothing is wrong, i am just one of those people. get checked out...when they tell you nothing is wrong you will feel much better! also, did you see your regular doc or a cardiologist? i work in the medical field and one thing i know for certain is that most docs don't know crap about things outside their field. i'd definitely go see a cardiologist if you haven't already.

 

[gimpy_in_hudson]

Ekg

Its common for athletes, particularly thin chest walled athletes, to have increased voltage on ekgs. An echo will rule out anything pathologic. Most likely you are ok.

 

[yellowspox]

Just went through echo stress test

I had an EKG done as prep for some surgery. The results were read by a computer and sent up a "red flag" that I'd had a heaqrt attack. My doctor didn't agree and opted to send me for an echo stress test which turned out just fine. I did learn a bit about the test that might be of some help. I insisted that they not use the 220-age calculation for my max H/R. I'm 58 but my max H/R has been checked at 185. I figured that as long as I was going through this test with everything being monitored and a doctor present, I might as well get checked right up to where I train. I found it was a lot different trying to walk/run straight uphill on that treadmill than working out on the bike..LOL I was sore for 3 days .

 

[Mel Erickson]

That's all fine and dandy

But the results of the echo stress test are not dependant on you reaching your actual MHR. The 220 minus your age would have been good enough. I'm surprised they let you modify the protocol the doctor normally uses. The doc is not trying to determine how fit you are but if there was damage to your heart as a result of a heart attack. Modifying the protocol normally used could make it more, not less, accurate. Glad you're ok.