What could be wrong if your 71-year-old dad's heart starts to beat 130 per minute and his blood pressure drops to 90-50 and this has happened twice in the last month?

Rapid heart beat in the elderly

Intermittent or recurrent sudden increases in heart rate, with a drop in blood pressure, suggest possible supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, or some other cardiac dysrhythmia. The sudden increase can be caused by medications(stimulants), stress, or an underlying abnormality of the heart. A elderly patient experiencing this with a drop in blood pressure most likely has some type of underlying cardiac disease, such as coronary artery disease (hardening of the arteries of the heart)that has not been detected or diagnosed yet. The patient should be seen by their physician or a cardiologist. The testing that may be performed include an laboratory studies, EKG, holter monitor, echocardiogram, stress testing, and possibly cardiac catheterization.

Answer

I have no doubt your father is being treated for his heart problems. It is extremely important he works closely with the family doctor and also the Cardiologist. If you have a good Cardiologist then phone him/her and let them know what is going on. 71 isn't all that old.

• Is the heart the muscular pump that provide the force necessary to circulate oxygen throughout the body?
• Does lowering your heart rate lessen anxiety?
• Can high blood pressure be treated without medications?