sick sinus syndrome?

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My mother is suffering from alternating slow and fast heart beats .The doctors diagnosis was sick sinus syndrome .Surgery was performed and she was fitted with a pace maker to regulate her heartbeat and medicines as well .Since then she never recovered fully and recently she was laid up in bed for ten days in pain and completely fatigued . We are from Assam. Does anyone know a good heart surgeon or heart hospital in India ? Please recommend .if there are doctors online can you please suggest what further action should be taken ?
Alternative names
Bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome; Sinus node dysfunction

Definition Return to top

Sick sinus syndrome is a collection of heart rhythm disorders that include:

* Sinus bradycardia -- slow heart rates due to a slowing of your heart's own natural pacemaker
* Tachycardias -- fast heart rates
* Bradycardia-tachycardia -- alternating slow and fast heart rhythms

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Overall, sick sinus syndrome is relatively uncommon. Among the various forms of sick sinus syndrome, sinus bradycardia occurs more often than the other types.

Tachycardias that arise from the upper chambers of the heart (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter/tachycardia, and supraventricular tachycardia) are also common forms. A period of elevated heart rates is typically followed by very slow heart rates when the tachycardia ends.

Abnormal heart rhythms are often worsened by medications such as digitalis, calcium channel blockers, beta-blockers, and anti-arrhythmics. Disorders that cause scarring, degeneration, or damage to the conduction system of the heart can cause sick sinus syndrome.

Sick sinus syndrome usually occurs in people older than 50, in whom the cause is often a non-specific, scar-like degeneration of the heart's conduction system.

In children, a common cause of sick sinus syndrome is heart surgery, especially on the upper chambers.

Coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and aortic and mitral valve diseases may be associated with sick sinus syndrome, although those diseases may have nothing to do with the syndrome.

Symptoms Return to top

* Fainting or near-fainting
* Dizziness or light-headedness
* Confusion or other changes in mental status
* Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
* Chest pain or angina
* Shortness of breath
* Fatigue

Usually, no symptoms occur.

Signs and tests Return to top

The symptoms are non-specific and may mimic other disorders. The patient's heart rate may be very slow at any time. Blood pressure may be normal or low.

Sick sinus syndrome may cause symptoms of heart failure to occur or worsen. Sick sinus syndrome is diagnosed when the symptoms occur only during episodes of arrhythmia. However, this often is difficult to prove.

An ECG may show various arrhythmias characteristic of sick sinus syndrome. Exercise testing has not proven particularly effective as a screening tool.

Holter monitoring is an effective tool for diagnosing sick sinus syndrome because of the episodic nature of the disorder. Extremely slow heart rate and prolonged pauses may be seen during Holter monitoring, along with episodes of atrial tachycardias. An EPS (intracardiac electrophysiology study) is a very specific test for this disorder, although it is often unable to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment Return to top

If the disorder is not causing symptoms, treatment may not be necessary. Your doctor may evaluate any medications you are taking to make sure they are not worsening your condition. Do not stop taking any medication unless instructed by your doctor.

A permanent implanted pacemaker may be necessary when it has been established that the symptoms are related to bradycardia (slow heart rate).

Any associated tachycardia (a fast heart rate) may be treated with medications. The person will be protected from symptomatic bradycardia by a permanent implanted pacemaker. Sometimes a catheter procedure called radiofrequency ablation is used to eliminate tachycardias.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

This syndrome is slowly progressive. As long as the person remains without symptoms, no treatment is necessary. If a permanent pacemaker is implanted, the long-term outlook is excellent.

Complications

* Inadequate heart pumping
* Heart failure
* Falls or injury caused by fainting
* Angina  (+ info)

I have sick sinus syndrome and have had pacemaker since 1999. Is this condition hereditary?

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My son now has had problems and doctor says he thinks he had some atriall fibrillation. He will have some tests coming up soon....but in the meantime the doctor has prescribed him with 25 mg of metoprolol. Medicine says it should not be taken if he has sick sinus . Doctor thought he should take it anyway. He has not been diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome....but is the condition hereditary? Back in 1999 I asked my cardiologist about my two sons possibly developing the problem. he said no. But I am beginning to wonder at this point. I am also concerned about him taking metoprolol just in case he does have it.
No sick sinus syndrome is not in itself hereditary. Sick sinus is diagnosed when the heart changes rhythm without a known cause and usually the heart puts itself back into a normal sinus rhythm. Sick sinus syndrome is not necessarily harmful. A-fib is a condition of the ventricles where they do not contract but only quiver. The problem with this is that it causes some people to develop blood clots. If you dont want to use metoprolol then you should quickly get a second opinion.  (+ info)

Do I have Sick Sinus Syndrome?

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I was wondering about Sick Sinus Syndrome. 3 years ago I started having chest pains and extremely fatigued. After 4 months of feeling ill everyday I took myself to the ER. While I was there I flatlined and I still have no idea why. I convulsed and went out cold. After that my doctor sent me to a clinic where they run ours of tests on your heart. I was sent to a cardiologist to get the results, she said all was fine. So recently I asked my doctor for the paperwork from that clinic and to my surprise I found out while wearing a holter monitor for 2 days that I had intermittant bradycardia (48 BPM) and tachycardia (125 BPM), also have a tricuspid regurgitation and a RVSP (Right Ventrical Systolic Pressure) of 31.2 mmHG. Am I crazy or should I not have been told about this? Considering I in the last year have had 9 anaphylactic episodes where I go into shock and need adrenaline to save me. I have no allergies, so I've become a medical mystery to my many doctors. I am worried about going into shock if my heart is not in good condition already. So should I not have the diagnosis of Sick Sinus Syndrome from these readouts?
Thanks for any advice.
Basically mean that your SA node (sinus) isnt pacing your heart appropriately... It is also called Tachy Brady Syndrome. ... intermittent fast and slow heart beats... may require a pacemaker... i dont know you those so no one can diagnose you here.  (+ info)

Is Kartagener syndrome and sick cilia syndrome the same thing?

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i have sick cilia and i googled it and it came up with an article with that name and said it was the same thing...but i have never heard that name before! i was held back in kindergarten because i was in the hospital getting sinus surgery like 5 times.....is it the same thing???
so is it the same or not! i read both those websites....does anyone know?
Kartagener (pronounced KART-agayner) syndrome refers to a condition that involves difficulty with clearing mucus secretions from the respiratory tract, male infertility, and situs inversus. The defining characteristic of this syndrome is the situs inversus, which is a reversal of abdominal and thoracic organs.


Sick or immotile cilia syndrome

To date three distinct morphologic types of immotile cilia disorder in man have been recognized. Patients with the disorder have variable clinical manifestations of disease of the upper and lower respiratory tract. Twenty-one patients with immotile cilia syndrome have been evaluated from the standpoint of history, clinical presentation, radiologic changes, pulmonary function tests, and mucociliary clearance. The results have been compared to the pathologic changes noted on ultrastructural examination of the cilia. Although clinical severity does not correlate with the type of abnormality found, a profile of clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of immotile cilia syndrome has emerged. The triad of productive cough, sinusitis, and otitis was a consistent finding in all. Situs inversus occurred in only half of the patients.

  (+ info)

Sick sinus syndrome?

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Sick sinus syndrome is the name for a group of heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) in which the sinus node — the heart's natural pacemaker — doesn't work properly. The sinus node is an area of specialized cells in the upper right chamber of the heart that controls the rhythm of your heart. Normally, the sinus node produces a steady pace of regular electrical impulses. In sick sinus syndrome, the sinus node beats abnormally causing slow heart rate (bradycardia), rapid heart rate (tachycardia) or alternating slow and fast rhythms.

Sick sinus syndrome is relatively uncommon. When it does occur, it usually affects people who are at least 60 years old. Some people with sick sinus syndrome need a pacemaker to keep the heart in a regular rhythm.  (+ info)

What is Sick Sinus Syndrome?

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Has it got to do anything with paranasal air sinuses or the sinu-atrial node?
It refers to the SA node in the heart, which is the heart's main pacemaker. In SSS, the node becomes irregular and so the heart's rate becomes highly variable, speeding up and slowing down. It's the slowing down that's the problem. If they heart gets too slow then not enough blood is pumped. When it becomes severe enough (and it always does eventually), it's treated by implanting an artificial pacemaker, which has become a pretty safe and simple procedure these days.  (+ info)

i feel so dizzy/sick my ears are ringing ive got a headache and sinus infection?

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i feel so dizzy and sick ive also got a headache and my ears are ringing and burning.
im getting so pissed of with this its driving me nuts..
could be caused by the sinus infection or something?
It could be a cold, it could be a sinus infection or just head congestion. You treat the symptoms which means tylenol or ibuprofen regularly for the headache and an over the counter decongestant for the pressure in your head and ears.  (+ info)

How do people with Munchhausen syndrome make themselves sick?

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i was just wondering what do theses people do to the bodys to get themselves sick.
Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric disorder in which those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. It is in a class of disorders known as factitious disorders which involve "illnesses" whose symptoms are either SELF_INDUCED or FALSIFIED by the patient. It is also sometimes known as Hospital addiction syndrome.

see caps above, not really sick  (+ info)

Can being sick with a cold/sinus infection increase heart rate?

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I was just wondering if being sick can cause an increase in heart rate? I have what seems like an upper resperitory cold or something and it seems as though my heart rate is higher than usual.
Hi, there. If you have a raging sinus infection, it can indeed raise your heart rate. A fever is often accompanied by a slightly higher pulse rate, too. Another possibility is that you are mildly dehydrated, which can definitely cause an elevated heart rate and cause you to feel horrible.

I agree with the previous answer, too. What are you taking for your upper-respiratory "thing"? If it's an OTC med, it might be a good idea to pop into Wal-Mart or somewhere else with a free blood pressure monitor and check your bp. You should also go see your doctor, if you haven't already.

I'm so sorry you're feeling crummy. I hope you find a remedy that works and that you feel better soon!!!  (+ info)

I was sick last week with what I thought was a sinus infection?

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I went to the doctor, he gave me amoxicillian. I have a lingering deep couch still but I am unusually tired and my head feels heavy. I do not have a headache but my head feels heavy if that makes sense. My throat is a bit sore as well which could be the coughting. I have been on the pills for 6 days..shouldn't I fell better?
A "real" sinus infection usually takes 7-10 days to clear. Most medical providers are deeply suspicious of the people who say that their "sinus infection" is gone after 1-2 days of antibiotics. More than likely that patient didn't have a true sinus infection to begin with. It takes a few days to get good antibiotic penetration into the sinuses. Keep at it and God Bless.  (+ info)

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