Ask general practitioner Maarten: Heart problems and a possible vaccination with Astra Zeneca?
Maarten Vasbinder lives in Isaan. His profession is general practitioner, a profession that he mainly practiced in Spain. On Thailandblog he answers questions from readers who live in Thailand.
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Dear Martin,
I am 66 years old, Drink moderately, do not smoke. Am healthy but sometimes have an accelerated heartbeat. From the age of 13 I have sometimes 1 time per year, sometimes 1 time per 2 years increased heart rate to 210 beats per minute. It is always 210. Normal heart rate is 60 to 65. It usually lasts 5 to 70 minutes with the exception of more than 2016 hours in 4. It can happen at any time, but mostly when I'm just sitting at home quietly, no efforts.
During this high heart rate I am not and do not get tired, my blood pressure appears normal and when it stops it is as if nothing has happened.
I have been to a hospital twice where they give me Adenosine – Adenocor and Verapamil. Verapamil I take when I feel it coming or have but little effect. An investigation into the cause has never taken place and is therefore not known. There is an ECG, but there is nothing to notice after administering the medicine.
I grew up with it don't worry.... until now. I can get my vaccination on August 9, press reports about what might happen do worry me.
What is your advice to do or not to do?
Regards,
Jan
******
Dear J,
As for those heart problems, you have the right treatment or non-treatment.
Now the question about vaccination. My advice is not to do it and if necessary ask Sinopharm or Sinovac. Those are vaccines made the “old-fashioned way, like the flu vaccines.
Incidentally, it is very questionable whether all those injections help. That 95% effective risk reduction is a static trick. The absolute risk reduction is around 0,8% and the NNTV (Number Needed to Vaccinate) around 200. That means that 200 people have to be vaccinated to prevent 1 infection. At an IFR (Infection Fatality Rate = the percentage that dies with or due to covid) of 0,15%, you have to vaccinate 130.000 people to prevent one death with or due to Covid, which seems absurd to me, also because there would be many more people die from the injection than are saved.
best regards,
Dr. Maarten
Do you have a question for Maarten and do you live in Thailand? Send this to the editor: www.thailandblog.nl/contact/ It is important that you provide the correct information (see list at the top of the page).