Heart rate of 160bpm get it checked out? Advice needed.

[beggingbehind]

Not to sure if I should call 111 or not. Heart rate. Normally 80 has gone to 160 at resting. Am quite stressed at moment. Also have PoTS. When that flares up heart rate normally dose t go above 120. Am light headed have fainted once feel faint. And have bad palpatations. But I have DCs at home, I hate doctors am at a loss really. But not to sure if doctors needed for heart rate (hence AIBU) don't no what to do.

I am a doctor. Please call an ambulance or get someone to drive you to A and E right now. I cannot believe the watch and wait responses you have had.

Get to A&E.

I have been in this situation - pulse was both fast and irregular. They whipped me into resus pdq; and then to coronary care unit. They managed to settle it with medication. But also did a special x-ray to make sure I did not have a PE - I was a few days post-op.

Following this I had a number of episodes of SVT which I learned to abort by pretending I was pushing out a 12 pound baby - best to sit on loo while doing this.

OH is under treatment for AF and I am used to driving to A&E in the night - we never hang around but just get on to it - as must you. This is serious and you should not be hanging around.

DS has avnrt, a re-entry tachycardia. His heart rate hit 250 at it's worst. I called 111 and they were quite blasé tbh. Episodes could last an hour at a time. He'd sleep for hours afterwards. He had an ablation in July and now has surges which last seconds. A high bpm needs to be investigated, but isn't always life or death.

But you need to get the advice that tells you that in this instance it is not life or death. You cannot just take a chance.

Are you lying flat now? I would see if it drops on its own after the salt and lying down.

I'm a doctor. If you came into my GP consulting room and told me you had palpitations, and I checked your pulse and it was 160 bpm, I'd shit a brick and call a blue light ambulance. Seriously. Don't watch and wait. Don't drive yourself to hospital. If your pulse is 160, then I really do think you need to ring 999!

Been lyinng down resting at 150 now. Your worrying me though so I will give it another hour if it stays the same I will call 111. If it gets lower I will get appotment with GP tommorow.

You've got 2 trained doctors telling you what you should do - you need to get to A&E asap.

if this not normal for you ,its an emergency unless proven otherwise.
if you are dizzy and have already passed out , you should phone an ambulance.

...and if you don't get medical attention and something serious happens? What happens to the children? Please get yourself to the hospital! You only have one life...not worth taking a risk!

Please don't keep waiting. Listen to the professionals that have offered their advice.

Am also a HCP: you need to call 999 now.

GET TO THE HOSPITAL NOW. You may feel otherwise reasonably fine until your heart stops from exhaustion.

Don't wait.... 160 bpm whilst at rest is potentially very serious. This is a 999 call. Don't put yourself, and your children, at risk for another moment.

Klaphat lying flat drops your heart rate if you have PoTS and that's the reason your heart rate increased. I have read the thread, thanks.

I once waited too long to call an ambulance (different issue but comparable circumstances)... thought I'd wait to see if it got any worse. Next thing I know I woke up in an ambulance being rushed to hospital. I was lucky that someone found me and called 999. If you're at home with young kids you won't be that lucky.

Why on earth did you start this thread then?

I have SVT and have been told in no uncertain terms by A and E Doctors, my GP and Cardiologist that if I cannot quickly restore it to a normal rate I have to phone for an ambulance. Even if you regilarly suffer from an arrythmia you cannot be sure that's what it is on this occasion if it's not stopping. Try a valsalva maneuvre and if that doesn't work get to A and E.

You've done all the emergency PoTS stuff now, if it hasn't gone down significantly you need to see a doctor.

Yes- my SVTs are 220-240bpm. I have been told to call paramedics if I cannot stop it after 20 minutes. There's a risk of brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Another doctor here who has dealt with this stuff many times. Get to A&E, the quicker they can check your rhythm and get you out of it the easier it is (plus you'll feel better)

Giss 111 were very blasé when I called them too. I think it's a serious problem with 111 actually because the paramedics, nurses and cardiologists were emphatically not blasé about it at all.

Definitely needs A&E. (Another doctor)

Dropped to 146 now. So is A&E necessary now it's going down or do I still need to go.