Is irregularity of the heart beat harmful?
Director,
Director of Cardiology,
Fortis Group of Hospitals,
Noida and New Delhi
Q: I am a male 45 years, 6 feet and weigh 80 kg. Since some time now I feel irregular heart beats which remains for a few days. Sometimes I feel my heart stops for few seconds. My blood pressure is normal (140/95) and I do a lot of exercise too. Since I am working in a remote place there are no proper medical facilities. Please let me know if there is any risk of heart attack?
A:Irregularity of heart beat of the kind described by you seems to be a harmless thing seen often in normal people. Your BP should be a bit lower. The ideal BP is below 140/80-85 mms Hg. Keep doing exercises and eat low fat diet. You can have a check up where routine blood tests, a lipid profile, an ECG , and an exercise ECG can be done. These tests are possible in several cities all over the country. A check up is always desirable once in a few years at this age.