Irregular heartbeat, chest discomfort, clapping in the chest; Often people describe palpitations as “my heart stops”. Of course, a strong pulse in the chest, head and neck can be defined as a heartbeat.
Sometimes the heartbeat is felt in an unusual way, including general restlessness, the heartbeat is associated with dizziness and even fainting.
Can what I eat and drink make my heart beat faster?
A common substance that causes heart palpitations is caffeine. Some people are sensitive to any stimulant, but caffeine-related palpitations became common in the 1990s when espresso-based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes became popular. Regularly reducing or eliminating caffeinated beverages such as coffee and soda can lower your heart rate.
Some patients complain of heart palpitations when they eat too much chocolate, while others experience heart palpitations during the holidays when they tend to drink too much alcohol.
Some over-the-counter medications, such as cold and allergy medications, contain a heart beat inhibitor (pseudoephedrine).
Palpitations often occur for no apparent reason, but fatigue, stress, or lack of sleep can cause an increased or faster heart rate.
How does a doctor assess heart rate?
Reviews often start like any other complaint, and good stories tend to focus on things like food, drink, and over-the-counter medications. This is followed by a detailed physical examination, focusing on the heart and lungs.
Diagnosis of heartbeat
As for laboratory tests, it is determined by the general condition and the results of physical examination. In most cases, palpitations are very benign and require little more than a thorough history, physical exam, EKG, and possibly laboratory blood work.
Diagnosing heart palpitations with severe symptoms
If the patient presents with more severe symptoms associated with palpitations, such as dizziness or fainting, a more detailed evaluation is necessary. This type of evaluation includes echocardiograms, treadmill tests, thyroid tests, and complex blood tests such as an ambulatory EKG or Holter monitor. Some patients may require invasive testing if a serious heart condition is suspected as the underlying cause of the palpitations.
Can heart palpitations be serious?
Heart palpitations and shortness of breath, otherwise there are two symptoms without serious illness. This usually indicates an irregular heartbeat and may indicate the need for a more detailed evaluation.
In general, the more severe the symptoms, such as dizziness, fainting, chest pain, or shortness of breath, the more serious the problem should be taken.
If the patient has heart disease such as heart attack, congestive heart failure (CHF), or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the heart rate should be carefully assessed.
Why is heart palpitations dangerous to health?
Arrhythmias usually do not harm the heart. Patients who have a very fast heart rate over a long period of time are at risk of developing heart enlargement or failure.
We are looking at an enlarged heart with a very common cause of rapid heart rate called atrial fibrillation. Patients can suffer from atrial fibrillation for years without harming themselves, but some patients with very mild symptoms develop very fast, irregular rhythms with symptoms of heart failure. There is also an increased risk of stroke due to blood clots associated with atrial fibrillation.
Are premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) life-threatening?
If someone has normal heart function and no signs of structural heart disease, PVCs are unpleasant but harmless. If PSE has obstructive symptoms, try to eliminate all triggers, including caffeine, certain foods, and stress, before starting drug therapy. When treating with drugs, we try simple drugs such as beta-blockers before moving on to specific anti-arrhythmic drugs. Often, this is enough to relieve patients’ symptoms.
PVC common
Therefore, PVC is popular. In most cases, they have no prognostic value.
not during exercise.
Most patients have an increased heart rate when they begin to exercise, and when the heart rate increases, the extrasystole or other extrasystoles disappear. After training, the body’s natural level of adrenaline remains high for a period of time, and the heart rate begins to decrease during rest. This period usually allows additional shocks to return, and sometimes their speed and frequency are higher than before training.
If other symptoms are mild or absent, there is no cause for serious concern. If palpitations are accompanied by other symptoms such as shortness of breath, discomfort in the chest, dizziness, or fainting, palpitations in any situation are cause for concern and require further investigation.
How accurate is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?
An electrocardiogram represents the electrical activity of the heart in several projections. It records approximately 12 seconds, and patients with palpitations may have an abnormal EKG during this time. For this reason, many doctors use an ambulatory EKG or Holter monitor to make the diagnosis.
Another advantage of a standard EKG is that it can detect signs of other things that may be wrong with the heart, such as a heart attack or other electrical abnormalities, which is important in making a basic heart rhythm diagnosis. Therefore, the electrocardiogram is a valuable part of assessing the heart’s condition, but it is not particularly sensitive in detecting cardiac arrhythmias.
Holter monitoring
Other methods use a screen that connects quickly to symptoms, but can be carried in a pocket or bag for up to a month. This allows for improved correlation between heart rate and heart rate when symptoms occur. In rare cases, we implant a loop recorder under the skin for up to 3 years to detect rare arrhythmias or when wearing a monitor is not practical, such as during sports or swimming.
Is it possible to have heart palpitations during pregnancy?
In my practice, I have had several patients with palpitations and palpitations during pregnancy. This is understandable, because the state of pregnancy causes a large change in blood volume and puts new stress on the heart, which tends to increase the heart rate, which was not present before pregnancy.
After pregnancy, the patient may experience heart palpitations and palpitations in other stressful situations. Of course, something doesn’t have to be wrong with the heart to cause palpitations during pregnancy.
On the other hand, women who suffered from cardiac arrhythmias and syncope before pregnancy experienced a significant reduction in symptoms during pregnancy as cardiac output and blood volume increased.
What medications are commonly prescribed to prevent heart palpitations?
There are many medications that doctors use to treat heart rhythm disorders. They are often prescribed by cardiologists because they can cause serious side effects and, if used incorrectly, can lead to serious cardiovascular problems and even cardiac arrest or sudden death.
Although these powerful drugs are very beneficial in preventing heart arrhythmias when used correctly, most patients choose not to use them because of the cost, side effects, and the need to take them several times a day.
How can a pacemaker improve heart rate?
In recent years, patients with the most severe forms of cardiac arrhythmia have been helped by modern pacemakers and devices that can correct the heart’s rhythm with the help of electrical currents that operate automatically after the arrhythmia occurs. Of course, these are highly specialized devices and are usually prescribed and tested by a cardiologist.
Can herbal medicine prevent heart palpitations?
As for herbal remedies, I don’t know of any herbal remedies that are particularly effective for palpitations. Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the body can be associated with heart palpitations and sometimes irregular heart rhythms, and in these cases it must be said that supplements or foods rich in potassium and magnesium are very helpful.
can
heartbeat.
Why does my heart rate increase when I lean forward?
When tilting, intra-abdominal pressure increases, which is transmitted to the esophagus (or hiatal hernia), which is located directly on the back wall of the left atrium. This is the most common cause of ectopic heartbeats.
Esophageal motility disorder
Also, people with esophageal motility deficiency will not have a fast heart rate and heart rhythm disorders. The brain cannot distinguish between a rapid heart rate and the work of the muscles of the stomach, esophagus, and sometimes even the chest. They themselves are normal and natural and in most cases do not require special treatment.
Do the PVCs I can feel make more sense than the ones I can’t?
There was no prognostic difference between patient-recognized PVCs. Of course, symptomatic extrasystole is more worrying for the patient, because it will cause fatigue and distraction. In addition, all PVCs have the same prognosis. In most healthy patients, Holter extrasystoles are less predictive, whether experienced or not.
What should I do if a 9-year-old complains that he “misses his beat”?
The same advice applies to children, as the causes of palpitations in most children are usually benign and do not require treatment. However, electrical and structural abnormalities of the heart should be ruled out and should not be ignored.
If the child notices an occasional “bad hit”, if he is healthy and keeps pace with his friends on the playground, it is unlikely that something serious will happen.
Symptoms requiring medical attention
Chest pain
Breathing hesitates
frivolity
Fainting magic
However, children with such complaints should be referred to a pediatrician, and some to a pediatric cardiologist.
What do people mean by sudden death?
The term “sudden death” is used to describe a condition in which a patient’s heart fails and dies within minutes if left untreated. By support I mean cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and usually electrical cardioversion to restore a normal heart rhythm. It is clear that patients who are successful in these efforts need to be carefully monitored to determine the cause of their cardiac arrest and prevent future recurrences.
Internal defibrillators, which are common in the care of such patients, are very effective in preventing death from cardiac arrhythmias in patients with one or more sudden death attempts.