Seeing/feeling heartbeat in stomach when supine...normal or not?

[yogastudentRN]

Epigastric area, specifically. I can't seem to find this symptom in any of my books and I just don't have a clue if it means anything??

[z's playa]

Are you thin? I am and I see my heartbeat in my epigastric area too. Means nothing. Some of your major arteries and veins meet there so you can see the pulse.

If I'm wrong someone tell me and we'll go to the doctor. :chuckle

Z

[mommatrauma, RN]

Not that it means nothing...It depends on the patient...could it be normal, yes, in some thinner patients, you certainly could feel it or see it...however, if there is a pulsatile mass..it could be a AAA. The pulse that you are seeing or feeling is at the abdominal aorta.