#2. How heart rate and symptoms are connected with Cardiologist Dr Boon Lim

Make Visible: Understanding Complex Illness

Cardiologist Dr Boon Lim describes himself as an electrician of the heart. Extremely experienced in surgically repairing heart rhythms, he is also an expert in treating Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and related autonomic conditions. His approach to the diagnosis and treatment of both the symptoms and pathophysiology of these disorders is refreshing – nuanced and holistic.

In this week’s episode, which is Part 1. of this interview, Dr Boon Lim discusses the challenges that are faced by patients with this autonomic dysfunction, and the methods he uses to assess – the tilt table test combined with a detailed patient history. He describes physiologically what happens to the patients’ bodies and brains with POTS or POTS-like syndrome and how that causes vasovagal syncope (fainting). We talk about the importance of hydration and how that alters the body’s ability to cope with changes in posture that can induce tachycardia, and the detrimental effects of bedrest or reduced movement.

In the episode Dr Boon Lim references his diagram showing the changes that takes place in the blood and blood pressure when hydration is increased. The video can be found here, on his stopfainting.com website.

For a man with such a depth and breadth of knowledge Dr Boon Lim’s openness and humility are stark and his strategies for equilibrium are remarkably simple. If you would like to know more about his approach and what he means by ‘missing the elephant’ please tune in for Part 2. of this interview – and if you can’t wait two weeks please ‘follow’, ‘like’, ‘subscribe’, or review here on your podcast app, or comment or contact us with your thoughts via the links below, and perhaps we can release it sooner.

Make Visible

@visible_health

@visible.health