Hello, my mother has congestive heart failure and during her sleep last night her body felt like it was vibrating or shaking. She has shortness of breath and it felt as if I was feeling her heart beating because of the way her body was shaking. I am trying to explain this as best as I can but it was a frightful experience. This is not the first time it happened. I had to listen closely to see if she was breathing.
Hi, There is likely possibility of convulsion (seizures) in your mothers case. I want to know -During period of shaking is she able to communicate / consciousness during episode. Is there involuntary passage of urine or stool. Is there tongue bite or frothing from mouth. Duration and frequency of episodes. After episode is she become unconscious, unresponsive. Cause of her congestive heart failure. Medications she is on. Other illness like diabetes, blood pressure problem medicine for it. Possible causes for convulsion in her-1) Cardiac arrhythmia abnormal electrical activity of heart which leads to impaired blood supply to brain which leads to convulsion.2) Cardo-embolic event.3) Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) this is more likely in diabetes on treatment.4) Impaired blood supply to brain due to blockage in brain arteries. I would like to advise you-1) Consult your cardiologist, there may be need for neurological evaluation by neurologist.2) EKG, 2DEcho of heart.3) Metabolic profile blood sugar level, kidney function test, liver function test, electrolytes.4) Brain imaging like MRI with angiogram.