Pre PACES Podcast #69 Palpitations
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Sep 10, 2023 Dr. Alex Carpenter, a cardiology registrar, discusses palpitations in the podcast. They cover common causes, diagnostic strategies, and different types of tachycardias. The importance of rhythm symptom correlation, imaging in heart conditions, and management techniques are also highlighted.
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What Patients Mean By Palpitations
- Palpitations mean an awareness of the heartbeat and span from single skipped beats to prolonged rapid tachycardias.
- Irregularity often increases perception and can indicate different underlying mechanisms.
Always Risk-Stratify With A Focused History
- Take demographics, onset, frequency, triggers and red flags (syncope, heart failure signs, family sudden death) in every history.
- Use these items to stratify risk and decide urgency of investigation.
Use Onset Pattern To Narrow Diagnosis
- Ask whether episodes start/stop suddenly or slowly to distinguish re-entrant (switch on/off) from focal or autonomic tachycardias (warm up/cool down).
- Ask about vagal manoeuvres, lying down or cold drinks which can abort AVNRT/AVRT.