If I have a heart condition will my EKG probably be abnormal or make me not get cleared for surgery?

Hello @Cute183271, thank you for your question. Is important you consult with your cardiologist, and follow his recommendations. Keep in mind that in many cases, surgical procedures can be performed, but to determine whether an intervention can be performed, an assessment appointment and a medical examination are required. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

Good question. An EKG is recommended for each plastic surgery patient even if they haven't had any heart issues in the past. This test will show us if you have a risk of having a heart attack and if anything is off with your heart. A clear from your cardiologist will be required as well as a consultation with an anesthesiologist before your surgery. Good luck.

Dear Cute183271,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. Generally speaking, you will need clearance from your cardiologist prior to surgery. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

If your cardiologist has already cleared you for elective surgery, you have a good chance of moving forward with the procedure. It's typical to require blood work as baseline and they may very well be requesting an EKG to establish a baseline - it doesn't always mean that an abnormal EKG reading would disqualify you. Ultimately, it depends on your surgeon to make the call.

Sounds like you may benefit from having a more detailed conversation with your surgeon or their staff to clarify what may or may not hinder you from moving forward with a procedure.

A cardiomyopathy is not necessarily a contraindication for an elective surgery. Certainly, your plastic surgeon is being prudent in ordering labs and an ekg.
I would think that an echocardiogram is much more accurate in showing how the heart is functioning. This along with your cardiologist clearance should suffice.
Dr. Taranow

People do not fail or pass an EKG.
An EKG reads the electric actions of the heart and can tell many different things about the heart somethings it cannot detect.
Did you have an in person consultation with your plastic surgeon? did your surgeon not ask about your medical history during the consultation?
Did you tell your plastic surgeon you have cardiomyopathy. If you have a cardiologist then you must’ve had EKGs.
Why don’t you just get a copy of your last EKG and you’ll know what the readings say.
People should have in person consultations with their plastic surgeons at which time they should discuss what you’re trying to achieve, get an accurate assessment and a good understanding of treatment options including their complications. It’s also a good idea to set expectations to realistically by reviewing as many before and after pictures with the surgeon as possible. typically it also involves talking about medical history preparation and recovery from surgery.
I do not recommend anybody travel long distances for elective surgical procedures. People do not seem to appreciate the importance of having in person consultations, the number of people I have really issues after surgery, the number of people who will end up needing revisions or that complications actually happen.
By staying local patients can maintain continuity of care and access to their surgeon throughout the entire process.
In person consultations are far more accurate in terms of both the surgeon accessing your candidacy for the procedure as well as the patient properly vetting each plastic surgeon to make sure they’re in the hands of the right provider.
I recommend patients have multiple in person consultations to help choose the right provider for their procedure.
When choosing procedures that are permanent and irreversible I recommend patients put in the effort needed to make sure they found the right provider.
I suggest you contact your plastic surgeon and discuss your medical condition with them and see what they have to say.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD