Pulse

[seanconnery]

I received a copy of my sleep study done a few months ago and note that at one point near the end of stage 1, my pulse rate went as high as 250 beats per minute. I was surprised that it could get that high.

Is this a normal rate for sleep apnea (pre-CPAP condition)?

[Guest]

I received a copy of my sleep study done a few months ago and note that at one point near the end of stage 1, my pulse rate went as high as 250 beats per minute. I was surprised that it could get that high.

Is this a normal rate for sleep apnea (pre-CPAP condition)?

I would suggest that you discuss this with your Dr. I had heart tests done, wore a halter monitor for 24hrs and my pulse rate went from 46 to 156 during my sleep. That was enough concern to send me to a sleep study. The increased heart rate could lead to heart disease. I can't imagine a rate of 250, did you realize your pulse rate at the time, or after the study? I still wake up some nights wondering how fast my heart in beating? Feels like it's going to explode. Maybe a further study on your the heart is needed for a piece of mind.
Dar

[JimH]

In may of 2002 I had an episode of Atrial fibrulation (irregular Heart beat) and my heart was beating extemely fast. It took till 3am and several shots in my stomach for my heart to beat normally. I started seeing my cardiologist and couldn't really determine why. I still had episodes from that point forward. Even the doctor in the ER swore up and down that I had to be doing coke or something ( or came back from spring break having drank too much- at 39 married with one child and the second due a month later- certianly was not the case). I admit to being overweight but still did not know why. Then one day about seven months ago I had been talking to someone who had suffered from Apnea. the following week was my six month checkup with cardiologist and I asked him if he knew anything about sleep apnea. I described a few symptoms to him and he recommended a doctor to me and said it would be worth checking out. I just saw my cardiologist about 3 weeks ago and told him that I was diagnosed with it. He had said to me that the sleep apnea was the very reason for the AFIB condition. I haven't had an episode since I went on CPAP.

I would definately recommend you check with your doctor. It can't hurt.

[mesocosm]

JimH,

Your situation sounds like a carbon copy of mine! the only difference is that I am 37. I started having episodes of A.Fib about 5 years ago and couldn't figure out why. Then this past Jan. as I sat in the ER looking at my cardiologist with my heart doing all sorts of wierd A.Fib. stuff... I asked him .... "Doc? Could it be something in my sleep causing this? Every time that I have had the onset of A.fib... it has always started in my sleep." He started asking me questions about breathing, gasping for air, tiredness, etc. My wife then pipes up and says .YES, YES ,YES, "He gasps for air all the time!"

He sent me to a board cert. sleep specialist and sure enough, after the sleep study, I have OSA with periodic limb movements. The sleep doc said "that it is probably a combination of the two that trigger the A. Fib." He says that "you stop breathing for some number of seconds... then... perhaps in response to that a limb (leg) will jerk and that will cause an arousal from sleep (or even a startle from sleep)... and since your heart rate is very low from not breathing your body surges with adrenaline which the "jump-starts" your heart and sends it into A fib."

This is such a revelation to learn about all this... this A.fib has been driving me crazy! While these conditions are terrible, it is good to know that I am not alone with this.

I'd be interested to talk with you more about this since I am a newbie to CPAP. I started CPAP about two weeks ago and I have not had any more A fib. I haven't even had many flutters lately either... which I used to have somewhat regularly.

Thanks for the post... Paul in SC