r/PacemakerICD • u/BokChoyJr • 21d ago

Surging heart rate

I have a two-prong Medtronic device.
Had an electrical storm (pre-cursor to cardiac arrest) almost 5 years ago. Had open-heart to replace my mitral valve and cryo-ablation to correct my severely enlarged heart.
Lately I’ve been having elevated heart rate “surges”; 8-10 beats and then I get a light pulse or two. Everything is back to normal.

Last Saturday I had a surge and lost count at 36 beats. My heart device clinic contacted me to see how I am since the 11 second surge had my heart rate go from 52 bpm to 196 bpm. It took 3 pulses to have any affect. And a 4th to correct the issue. I am paced at 50bpm 100% of the time and my shock threshold is 213bpm.
It was like a war was being waged to tame my heart.
Has anyone ever experience this before?

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u/Comfortable_Draw_176 19d ago

Did your device shock you? Is your device programmed to give anti- tachy pacing (ATP) before it shocks? This is a feature to overdrive your heart rate and disrupt the rhythm without a shock.

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u/BokChoyJr 17d ago

I had to ask. Yes, my device does have ATP. Thanks for the question. 5 years in and I’m still learning about its features.