fast heartbeat
Causes of a fast heartbeat
Types of fast heartbeat
Symptoms associated with a rapid heartbeat
risk factors
Complications of a rapid heartbeat
Diagnosing a rapid heartbeat
rapid heartbeat treatment
Prevention of rapid heartbeat
It may be normal to feel your heart racing after exercising or experiencing anxiety and fear, but what are the causes of rapid heartbeat without effort, which a person experiences while sitting on the sofa at home.
In the following lines, let us know the main causes of a simple and risky fast heartbeat, its types, the most important symptoms associated with it, and the most important tips for dealing with it.
fast heartbeat
Heart palpitation , also known as tachycardia, is a condition in which the heart rate is higher than normal, i.e. more than 100 beats per minute.
The individual may experience this condition often with intense physical exertion, but sometimes it may come during rest, and often the matter does not cause concern, but if left untreated, it may turn into a more serious matter, and although the heart palpitations last for a few moments and disappear on their own, it is It can be annoying and frightening to some.
Causes of a fast heartbeat without exertion
It's interesting that sometimes the causes of a fast heartbeat can't be traced, although there are countless reasons behind the feeling of fluttering in your chest while sitting or standing.
And you should feel comfortable, as most of the reasons behind the rapid heartbeat are not dangerous and do not have a health condition behind it, and the most prominent of those reasons are:
Emotional stress: is the main factor for feeling the rapid heartbeat without effort, and includes feelings of anxiety, fear and anger, as these feelings cause hormonal disorders that increase the secretion of the hormones adrenaline and epinephrine.
Caffeine Drinks: Caffeine is found in many common drinks; Such as: tea, coffee, soft drinks, and energy drinks, which are the cause of most cases of tachycardia .
Alcohol: Several studies have proven the direct relationship between the concentration of alcohol in the body and the high heart rate, as drinking alcohol increases the chance of developing a certain type of rapid heartbeat called (atrial fibrillation).
Smoking and narcotics: Smoking remains the main factor behind many different health conditions, as cigarettes contain nicotine, which may raise blood pressure and heart rate.
Taking certain medications: As a side effect, the heart rate may increase with certain medications. Such as: antibiotics containing erythromycin or amoxicillin, decongestants, cold and cough medicines, some antidepressants, and nutritional and herbal supplements, especially containing ginseng and bitter orange.
Heart diseases: the elderly often suffer from a rapid and effortless heartbeat associated with the presence of heart problems; Such as: heart valve problems, coronary heart disease, congenital malformations, common heart failure, high blood pressure, or in the event of a previous heart attack.
Electrolyte level disturbances: Rapid heartbeat is associated with disturbances of important minerals in the body; Such as: sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium; Because it contributes to regulating the heart rate, and in fact here the heart rate may become dangerous with neglect.
Low blood pressure: Just as high blood pressure causes the heart to beat faster, its low rate may also make you feel your heart palpitations while you are sitting and still.
Anemia: One of the most common causes of a fast, effortless heartbeat; Because when it is infected, the heart pumps a large amount of blood than usual to compensate for the lack of oxygen caused by the lack of hemoglobin in patients with anemia.
Thyroid: hyperthyroidism may cause a rapid heartbeat; Because the increased secretion of thyroid hormones affects all parts of the body, including the heart.
Drought: Low fluid level in the body is one of the causes of rapid heartbeat, especially in children when they have a fever, but at the same time it is the simplest and least dangerous reason. The matter here only requires regular drinking of water and fluids in general, at a rate of at least 8 cups per day.
Hormonal changes: It may be a common cause in women, especially during pregnancy, during menstruation, or before menopause, in addition to bleeding.
Eating certain foods: Some people suffer from a rapid heartbeat after eating fatty meals rich in carbohydrates, sugars, or fats, and this may sometimes be due to a food allergy when it is repeated with certain types of food.
Types of fast heartbeat
Rapid heartbeats are classified according to the part of the heart that is responsible for the rapid heart rate. Common types of fast heartbeats include:
Atrial fibrillation: It is the most common type of rapid heartbeat in children and young adults, and the electrical signals here are irregular in the two upper chambers of the heart (atria), and may go away on their own and is not dangerous, but may require treatment in some cases.
Ventricular fibrillation ( Ventricular Tachycardia ): It may be the most dangerous type if the attacks last more than a few seconds, and this type begins in the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles).
Supraventricular tachycardia: A mysterious type of fast, effortless heartbeat, a broad term that includes arrhythmias that begin above the ventricles, and begin and end suddenly.
Ventricular tachycardia: The rapid heartbeat comes from the ventricle itself, and this condition causes severe heart failure, which can lead to death if the normal heart rhythm is not restored within minutes.
Symptoms associated with a rapid heartbeat
Symptoms that accompany rapid heartbeat vary depending on the type and cause of the tachycardia, as it is often discovered by chance during a routine examination, or during the detection of other health conditions; Because these symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other diseases, most notably:
Chest pain. Sudden weakness or dizziness. hard breathing. It even leads to fainting, and loss of consciousness in some cases. severe heart palpitations; Low blood pressure if the pressure level can be measured. Cardiac arrest in some serious cases.
These previous symptoms are often from the heart's inability to pump blood and adequate oxygen to the organs and tissues, and it is worth noting that some people do not show any symptoms, but when one of these signs appears, it can make you go directly to the doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.
Risk factors for a rapid heartbeat
There are groups that are more prone to bouts of rapid heartbeat without physical exertion, and they include:
Having a genetic history in the family, especially with regard to heart disease. people with chronic medical conditions; Such as: diabetes, high blood pressure. Categories that are constantly exposed to anxiety, physical and psychological stress. People who drink large amounts of alcohol or caffeinated drinks. smoking. Anemia. Thyroid diseases.
Complications of a rapid heartbeat
There are some cases that are not detected early, or treat the diagnosis negligently, which may lead to unwanted complications that depend on the type and speed of the heartbeat, and whether you have other heart diseases or not, including:
Frequent fainting, loss of consciousness. Entering the stage of heart failure in which it is unable to pump enough blood to the body. Severe hypotension and shock. have blood clots Feeling of general fatigue in the body. heart attack. exposure to cardiac arrest. Sudden death may sometimes occur with ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
Diagnosing a rapid heartbeat without effort
The doctor resorts to various diagnostic methods to accurately determine the reason behind the rapid heartbeat. After a physical examination, knowledge of your medical history, and symptoms, in addition to knowing the medications you take with your usual diet, he may ask you to perform some of the following tests:
Electrocardiogram . Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart). Holter monitoring. Chest X-ray. Perform a computed tomography ( CT ) scan . blood tests; Take a stress test . Urinalysis. Tilt table test (graded exercise). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) . Coronary angiography. Electrophysiology tests.
Effortless treatment of rapid heartbeat
There is no one fixed plan to treat all cases of rapid heartbeat without effort, as it varies depending on the cause of the rapid heartbeat, the age of the patient, as well as general health.
But the doctor always aims to treat the cause of the high heart rate until it returns to the normal range, in addition to preventing further attacks, and reducing the chance of complications by:
Prescribing some medications that target heart rhythm, whether oral or intravenous; Such as: amiodarone (trade name: Cordarone ), sotalol (trade name: Bitpas ).). Develop an appropriate treatment plan for diseases that may be the cause of rapid heartbeat; Such as: diabetes, high blood pressure, and hyperthyroidism. Practicing the maneuvers of the vagus (vagus nerve) that helps control the heartbeat, and its best techniques are: pressure on the abdomen, putting cold water on the face, gentle pressure on the neck area where the carotid artery is located, or holding the nostrils closed while the person breathes through the nose . Your doctor may perform cardioversion when emergency care is needed, or when other methods such as medications and vagal maneuvers haven't worked. Late cases may need surgical intervention by performing open heart surgery. It may not require treatment if the palpitations are related to certain behavioral habits, or specific foods, all you have to do here is to stay away from those triggers.
Tips to prevent a fast heartbeat
Although it may be simple as we have seen, but we should not underestimate it at all, but we should stay away from all the stimuli that make us experience bouts of rapid heartbeat without effort during our rest, and maintain a healthy heart.
Doctors are advised to do all the following preventive measures:
Limit alcoholic beverages and drinks with high caffeine content. Avoid smoking and eating various tobacco products. Avoid taking prohibited drugs or stimulants; Ex: cocaine. Get enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, while reducing your intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat. Exercising regularly for at least 30 minutes daily. Maintain a healthy weight, and stay away from obesity as much as possible. Taking medications that may cause an elevated heart rateAs a side effect with caution and in the prescribed doses. Maintaining the level of blood pressure and cholesterol within the normal range. managing stress and anxiety by practicing relaxation techniques; Such as: meditation, yoga, and tai chi. drink enough water; Because dehydration is one of the main causes of a fast heartbeat. Maintaining the level of important minerals in the body naturally by eating food sources rich in them; Such as: bananas rich in potassium, and dark green leafy vegetables rich in calcium. Hawthorn extract may be one of the effective preventative measures of traditional Chinese medicine in reducing the incidence of heart palpitations. Practicing the Valsalva maneuver, a breathing technique that helps you control your heartbeat, and restore a normal heart rate if it's beating fast.
The variety of causes of a fast, effortless heartbeat from simple to risky makes it important to get medical advice as soon as you feel it; In order to avoid entering into more serious complications, and to discover early any health conditions behind this, neglect is a weapon that destroys its owner first.