Palpitations occur when your heart starts beating irregularly and unpredictably fast. These heart palpitations are usually triggered by stress, anxiety, or as a result of consuming too much caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol. You may feel these sensations in your chest, neck, or throat.
Heartburn is usually harmless and often goes away on its own. But, in some rare cases, they can lead to serious heart conditions such as heart attack, coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart valve problems, and heart muscle problems. Having a basic knowledge of heart palpitations and their complications can help you overcome all such diseases associated with them.
What Are Heartbeats?
Heart palpitations are sensations of your heart beating unexpectedly fast, fluttering, pounding, or skipping beats. In simple terms, heart palpitations can be described as non-threatening hiccups in your heart rhythm. For most individuals, heart palpitations are a once-in-a-blue-moon phenomenon. Also, some individuals may have dozens of these heart palpitations in a single day. People may feel that their heart is beating inside their chest, throat, or neck.
Now that you are aware of this disease, let us have a look at some of the symptoms associated with it.
Heart Palpitations Symptoms
- Have heart palpitations
- Heartbeat
- Heart pounding
- Heart is pounding
- Flip-flopping
- Heartbeats
- Heart beats fast
If you have a serious heart condition, heart palpitations will be accompanied by
- Shortness of breath
- Dizzy
- Pain in chest
- Unconsciousness
In such severe cases, you must seek medical help immediately.
If you are experiencing one or several of the symptoms described above, they may be brought on by the following risk factors.
Risk Factors For Heart Palpitations
There is no single cause of heart palpitations. Some common risk factors associated with heart palpitations include:
- Strong feelings such as depression, anxiety, fear, stress, or panic attacks.
- Vigorous physical activity such as heavy exercise or hard physical labor.
- Consumption of stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, or illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines.
- Pre-existing medical conditions such as thyroid disease, low sugar, and blood pressure levels, fever, and dehydration.
- Hormonal changes can occur in women during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause.
- Previous heart problems such as arrhythmia, heart defects, heart attack, or heart surgery.
- Medicines such as diet pills, cold and asthma medicines, and decongestants.
Let’s Take A Look At The Different Treatments Available For Heartburn.
Treatments For Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations do not require treatment unless you have an underlying heart condition. Your doctor can suggest some strategies to avoid heartburn.
To reduce anxiety and stress:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Aromatherapy
- Guided imagery
Stress and anxiety are major triggers for heart palpitations. Therefore, in most cases, they are the major cause of heart palpitations in individuals. A stress-free lifestyle can go a long way in reducing heartburn cases.
Eliminate special foods, beverages, and other substances such as:
- Liquor
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Drugs
- Cough and cold medicine
If these lifestyle changes are not helpful, your doctor may prescribe medications. Medicines called beta-blockers. They control the flow of ‘beat now’ signals that control the heartbeat. In rare cases, a medical procedure called ablation may be required.
To determine the cause of your heart palpitations, your doctor may prescribe the following tests.
- Blood tests: Sometimes you need blood tests to find out the cause of your palpitations.
- Chest X-ray: An X-ray will help the doctor check for changes in the lungs that may result from heart problems.
- Electrocardiogram: An electrocardiogram may be done while you are at rest or exercising. In both of these cases, the test helps to find abnormal heart rhythms by recording the electrical signals of the heart.
- Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart. It provides detailed information about the structure and function of your heart.
- Holter Monitoring: In this method, you have to wear a monitor on your chest. The device can record your heart signals continuously for 24 to 48 hours and identify differences in your heart rhythm that may be missed by an electrocardiogram.
If no one can treat your heart palpitations with the methods mentioned above, your doctor may refer you to a heart rhythm specialist, known as an electrophysiologist.
