Can an echocardiogram and a holter monitor show different results??!
Question: My husband is 30yrs old and has haemocromotosis (not sure how to spell it) but it is a heritary high iron blood disorder. We notice after a visit to his parents that his heart beat was a bit slow (approx 49 bpm). One a visit to the doctors they took his pulse to also find it at 49 bpm and set him up on a ecg machine - the results of the ecg machine showed bradycardia and av dissociation. He was than send to have a holter monitor on him for 24 hours. When returning the holter monitor the nurse had a quick look at the results and said there were a few areas that were in fushia pink that the doctor would need to look at (most were during times of sleep such as at 1am and 11.30pm). He also had an echocardiogram which the doctor said that the heart looked "alright".
Is it normal to have two different types of results from these two tests? He is still awaiting the official results from doctors (hopefully in a few days)
Thanks
Answers: My husband is 30yrs old and has haemocromotosis (not sure how to spell it) but it is a heritary high iron blood disorder. We notice after a visit to his parents that his heart beat was a bit slow (approx 49 bpm). One a visit to the doctors they took his pulse to also find it at 49 bpm and set him up on a ecg machine - the results of the ecg machine showed bradycardia and av dissociation. He was than send to have a holter monitor on him for 24 hours. When returning the holter monitor the nurse had a quick look at the results and said there were a few areas that were in fushia pink that the doctor would need to look at (most were during times of sleep such as at 1am and 11.30pm). He also had an echocardiogram which the doctor said that the heart looked "alright".
Is it normal to have two different types of results from these two tests? He is still awaiting the official results from doctors (hopefully in a few days)
Thanks
Yes. The holter monitor looks at the rate and rhythm to see what is happening over a 24 hour time period. I'm betting the areas that needed review from the doctor are when his heart rate was significantly slower while your husband was sleeping.
The echocardiogram looks at the size, structure and function of the heart, as well as the valves. This test is very commonly ordered with people that have arrhythmias (heart rates that are irregular or heart rates that are too slow or too fast). It's so the doctor can be sure the heart is structurally normal and also to assess the walls of the heart to see how well it squeezes and how effectively it pumps.
Let us know what the doc says.