Q: I am 46 years old hypertensive on Enapril HT and Amlopress AT each once daily. All my reports are normal. I always go for a brisk 50 minutes walk. Yesterday, after returning from my walk, I had occasional ventricular ectopics. When I consulted my cardiologist he advised me not to worry as this is known as extra systole. If symptoms persist, he suggested beta blocker at later date but presently, no treatment is necessary. My query is - why does this happen and is it indicative of any cardiac abnormality or merely physiological? Should I continue my walks? Kindly advise so as to reassure me.

A:Isolated ventricular ectopic beats in persons with no underlying LV dysfunction are of no consequence and need no specific measures. If these bother you too much, beta blockers can be useful as suggested by your doctor. A TMT test to look for any changes during exercise may be worthwhile, if it has not been done earlier. Regular exercise should continue. I hope you are also taking statin group of drugs. If not, consult your doctor. All persons with high BP on drugs, need 10 mg of atorvastatin according to the present guidelines.