# Erratic heartbeat?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 7, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525 "2005-09-07T15:31:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525/1 "2005-09-07T15:31:38Z")

</div>

Okay, another question from me for tonight. Yes, it’s a medical question but it’s not about me, doesn’t appear urgent and I’m not asking for a diagnosis, just advice. My friend mentioned to me the other day that her heartbeat is really freaking weird. So I took her pulse and agreed that yes, it is really freaking weird. It’s erratic to the point that there is no heart_beat_ anymore. I told her to go see a doctor. She refused. But never fear! My mother is a doctor. So I ask her about it and she basically tells me 1) Oh come on, it can’t be that bad and 2) Young people’s hearbeats often fluctuate with changes in breathing patterns. But the thing is, 1) Yes, it is that bad and 2) It is beyond just “fluctuating”. On the other hand, she’s young (16), healthy and while she’s not particularly fit she doesn’t have any history of heart problems. I want to make her go see a doctor. Should I make her go see a doctor?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525/2 "2005-09-07T15:44:32Z")

</div>

If she keeled over tomorrow would you feel bad about it? Of course you would. Does she get regular checkups? If she does then the doctor will have noticed it already. If she hasn’t been to a doctor in a while it wouldn’t hurt to have a check up. Perhaps it’s nothing… but that’s really for a doctor to determine… not her friends.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525/3 "2005-09-07T21:05:24Z")

</div>

Does she have any other symptoms with it? Lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, chest pain, syncope?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525/4 "2005-09-07T23:20:11Z")

</div>

> [@csharpmajor](#):
>
> I want to make her go see a doctor. Should I make her go see a doctor?

She should very definitely see a doctor. Your mother is a doctor - won’t your mother examine her?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/erratic-heartbeat/320525/5 "2005-09-07T23:45:53Z")

</div>

> [@csharpmajor](#):
>
> It’s erratic to the point that there is no heart_beat_ anymore. I told her to go see a doctor. She refused.

If she’s still vertical, she has a heartbeat. Just because you couldn’t detect it is irrelevant.

I’m sure your mom would be glad to listed to her heart and give you an opinion.

This one’s closed.

**samclem** GQ moderator.