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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Tests show I don’t have atrial fibrillation but something isn’t right

    Related Topics
    Atrial Fibrillation Cardiology & Vascular Health
    The tests showed I don’t have atrial fibrillation but I cant walk uphill without severely getting out of breath. If I push it, I felt like my heart is going to explode. They’ve done all kinds of tests, but the stress test they had me do showed nothing. I don’t know what to do, there must be something wrong? Its not normal not to be able to walk uphill at 45!
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    Thanks

    Dr David O'Donnell

    Cardiologist (Heart Specialist)

    A graduate of the University of Melbourne Medical School in 1993, Dr David O’Donnell was the recipient of 9 undergraduate awards including the Association of … View Profile

    I think the first thing to say is when we're dealing with breathlessness on exertion or not able to walk up a hill without getting short of breath, we've got to remember that the heart's not the only cause of this. Certainly, the heart is a very common cause and a stress test can be useful, but doesn't always pick up cardiac causes. So, sometimes people need to have a different form of stress test, either an ultrasound stress test or a nuclear stress test.
     
    As I said, the heart is only one cause of breathlessness when walking up a hill. Certainly lung problems can contribute, metabolic problems, problems with the blood count and perhaps most importantly, not being very fit. If we are trying to find out the answer there is a way of doing this. That's called a cardiopulmonary respiratory test, where we actually bring someone in and hook them up to the ECG, as well as measuring their respiratory status, whilst they're exercising.
     
    This can actually be very useful at telling us whether this is the heart, whether it's the lungs or whether it's a lack of fitness that are contributing to why you're not getting up the hill.

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