What Heart Causes Palpitations
The heart needs its normal environment to work well. This is especially true for the heart’s electrical system changes in electrical conduction may lead to a decreased ability for the heart to pump blood.
From within the body, abnormal levels of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium can cause palpitations. Anemia and hyperthyroidism are also a potential causes of palpitations.
Many of the substances that we put into our body can cause palpitations by appearing to act like adrenalin on the heart and make it irritable. Common stimulants include:
- tobacco
- alcohol
- over-the-counter medications such as pseudoephedrine, which is found in cold preparations and some herbal medications, including ma huang and
- illicit drugs including: cocaine, amphetamine, PCP, and marijuana, among others, also can cause palpitations.
The use of some prescription medications needs to be monitored, since their side effects can cause palpitations. Asthma medications like albuterol inhalers or theophylline and thyroid replacement medications are common causes of palpitations.
Times of stress can increase adrenalin levels in the body and cause rapid heart beats. These are physiologic and may be due to exercise, illness, or emotional stressors, for example, anxiety.
Heart valve abnormalities can also cause irregular heart beats. Up to 40% of persons with mitral valve prolapse complain of palpitations.
Sometimes Though Palpitations Might Signal Something More Serious
For example, these impulses go offbeat due to arrhythmias, which are basically short circuits in your hearts electrical system, the NHLBI explains. Arrhythmias can make your heart beat irregularly and feel strange, along with causing weakness, dizziness, feeling light-headed, fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain, among other symptoms, according to the NHLBI.
While arrhythmias often arent dangerous and can be treated in many ways, sometimes they can be life-threatening. Only a doctor can tell you for sure, but any symptoms besides the strange heart sensations are typically a clue that your arrhythmia may be more serious, says the NHLBI. If you think youre experiencing any strange symptoms along with your heart palpitations, seek medical attention immediately.
Other times, the Mayo Clinic notes, heart palpitations can be a sign that somethings up with a different organ, like your thyroid gland. Your thyroid produces hormones like thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which influence many of your bodys systems, according to the Mayo Clinic. If your thyroid is on overdrive , it will generate too much thyroxine, which kicks up your bodys metabolism. This can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat, along with symptoms like an increased appetite and sudden weight loss.
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What Can Stop A Fetus From Growing
The most common cause is a problem in the placenta . Birth defects and genetic disorders can cause IUGR. If the mother has an infection, high blood pressure, is smoking, or drinking too much alcohol or abusing drugs, her baby might have IUGR.
Common Reasons You Might Feel Heart Palpitations
Most of the time when people feel palpitations, their heart is not doing anything bad, Dr. Doshi says. There are tons of reasons your heart can go a little wonky, and most of them are nothing to worry about.
According to Dr. Doshi, heart palpitations are most often caused by increases in adrenaline or things that require your heart to work harder than usual. According to the Mayo Clinic, some examples include:
- Youve had a ton of caffeine
- Youre taking medication that contains stimulants
- Youre doing a tough workout or just finished one
- Youre pregnant, which causes your blood volume to go up and your heart has to work harder to pump the extra fluid
As you can see, a lot of these really common causes are nothing to worry aboutyour heart is just doing its thing and youre more aware of it than you normally would be.
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Living With Heart Palpitations
If you can understand what is causing your palpitations, you will likely be able to manage them. You will be able to avoid known triggers, like diet pills, caffeine, and cold/cough medicines.
Palpitations that are caused by anxiety or stress are sometimes harder to control. The anxiety can cause the palpitations, and the palpitations can create anxiety. These often make up a seemingly endless cycle. In these cases, your doctor may prescribe a medication to help ease anxiety.
What You Should Know About Arrhythmia During Pregnancy
Under the best of circumstances, pregnancy is a time filled with excitement and considerable apprehension as you do your best to ensure a successful outcome for you and your unborn child. As your body undergoes incredible physiological changes, certain conditions can crop up, which just adds to your already increasing anxiety. Heart arrhythmias are a prime example of one of these unwelcome developments, but theyre not necessarily cause for panic.
At Heart Rhythm Associates, Dr. Van H. De Bruyn and our team help patients in all stages of their lives better navigate their heart health. And for women who are building their families, we take extra care to ensure that the journey is a safe one.
Heres what you should know about arrhythmia during pregnancy.
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Heart Palpitations: Frequently Asked Questions
The symptoms of palpitations vary from patient to patient with some common features.
A perception of irregularity of the pulse, an uneasiness in the chest, a flip-flopping in the chest frequently people describe their palpitations as “my heart stops.” Certainly a feeling of strong pulse throughout the chest, head, and neck could well be described as a palpitation.
Occasionally palpitations can be perceived in unusual ways including a general sense of uneasiness, and, rarely, palpitations are associated with lightheadedness or even loss of consciousness.
Use Of Benadryl While Pregnant
Allergies are pretty common during pregnancy. It is reported that 20-30% of women who are of childbearing age are affected by allergies, and in a subset of women, pregnancy can even aggravate some preexisting allergy symptoms such as allergic rhinitis. As a result, antihistamine drugs are often employed to treat these allergic symptoms. This gives birth to a question of whether the use of antihistamines or specifically Benadryl while pregnant is safe?
Although alternative methods, such as fluids and rest, should be attempted first to treat the symptoms of allergies during pregnancy. First-generation antihistamines like Diphenhydramine are drugs of choice, especially during the first trimester, for the relief of allergy symptoms in pregnant women. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists Benadryl as category B, which means that the drug has failed to demonstrate a risk of birth defects or congenital anomalies to the fetus in animal reproduction studies but there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, OR, animal studies have shown adverse effects, but adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk of birth defects or anomalies to the fetus in any trimester.
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Are Pvcs That I Can Feel More Significant Than Those I Can’t
There is no prognostic difference between the PVCs that are felt by the patient and those that are not. Obviously the symptomatic PVCs are of more concern to the patient because they can be annoying and distracting. Beyond that, the PVCs are all the same, prognostically. In most patients who are otherwise healthy, PVCs on a Holter are of little prognostic value regardless of whether they’re experienced or not.
Q: Sometimes My Heart Feels Like It’s Pounding Now That I’m Pregnant Is This Normal
A: Your heart is working harder than ever now to keep up with the extra blood your body is producing to help your baby grow. So at times you may feel a pounding or fluttering sensation in your chest, especially if you stand up too quickly. A pounding ticker can also be a symptom of dehydration, so check your fluid intake and be sure you’re sipping at least six to eight glasses of fluids each day. This is usually normal and nothing to worry about, but if it seems like your heart is really racing, or you feel short of breath, have chest pains, or notice an irregular heartbeat, then you should give your doctor a call. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to irregular heart rhythms, so you should discuss symptoms like these with your doctor.
Copyright 2009
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Atrial Fibrillation And Flutter
Atrial fibrillation and flutter ) are uncommon in pregnancy if seen, however, they are most commonly associated with congenital or valvular heart disease as well as metabolic disturbances such as thyrotoxicosis or electrolyte disturbance. Though often well tolerated apart from in severe mitral stenosis, it is advantageous to terminate the arrhythmia to avoid the need for anticoagulation, particularly as pregnancy is a prothrombotic state. Preferred drugs are blockers or flecainide. Procainamide is another safe alternative, while mexiletine and amiodarone have also been used in small numbers of cases in the acute setting with success. In those where rate control is required rather than restoration of sinus rhythm, blockers, verapamil and digoxin are the preferred drugs along with adequate anticoagulation.
Figure 2Atrial flutter pre and postadenosine.
How Can You Tell If Your Pregnant By Touching Your Stomach
Walk your fingers up the side of her abdomen until you feel the top of her abdomen under the skin. It will feel like a hard ball. You can feel the top by curving your fingers gently into the abdomen. Figure 10.1 With the woman lying on her back, begin by finding the top of the uterus with your fingers.
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Heart Palpitations At Night
Your provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your heart. They may recommend a blood test to look for anemia or infection. A blood test can also show signs of a vitamin deficiency or a problem with your thyroid.
To monitor your heart rate, they may do an electrocardiogram . This test measures your heart rate using sensors that attach to your skin. They may ask you to lie down during the test, which usually takes about 15 minutes.
Many times, an EKG doesnt detect heart palpitations. You might not have an irregular heartbeat during the test. If this happens, your provider may recommend an ambulatory electrocardiogram such as a Holter monitor. You wear this device for up to a week as you go about your daily activities. It records your heart rate and stores the information for your provider to review.
Cardiac Signs And Symptoms During Pregnancy
Signs of heart disease may occur during pregnancy. Symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Trouble breathing while lying down
- Palpitations
Note that these symptoms do not always signal heart problems. For instance, you may faint due to blood pressure and volume changes in pregnancy. Shortness of breath and trouble breathing while lying down may be caused by the growing uterus. Palpitations may occur because the diaphragm shifts up in the chest during pregnancy. This causes the heart to sit higher in the chest. If you have any of these symptoms at rest during pregnancy, though, see your healthcare provider.
A heart murmur and ankle swelling are also common during pregnancy. Nearly 90% of pregnant women develop a heart murmur. This may be due to the increased volume of blood flowing through the heart. Only your healthcare provider can tell you if these symptoms are normal or due to heart disease.
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When Should I Be Worried About Shortness Of Breath During Pregnancy
It’s normal to feel a mild breathlessness during pregnancy. Talk to your health care provider immediately if your breathlessness becomes severe or comes on very suddenly. Also, call your health care provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: A rapid pulse.
We look at the science behind eight traditional signs of having a girl:
What Causes Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations can be due to 6):
- Anxiety, stress, panic attack, or fear
- Caffeine intake
However, some palpitations are due to an abnormal heart rhythm, which may be caused by 7):
- Heart disease
- Abnormal heart valve, such as mitral valve prolapse
- Abnormal blood level of potassium
- Certain medicines, including those used to treat asthma, high blood pressure, or heart problems
- Overactive thyroid
- Low level of oxygen in your blood.
Cardiac disease was the most common diagnostic category when compiling all the primary emergency department diagnoses for heart palpitations 8). Psychiatric diagnoses and medication/substance-related disorders made up 4.7% and 1.8% of primary emergency department diagnoses, respectively 9). However, in another study, psychiatric illness accounts for the etiology in nearly one third of all patients, cardiac in 43%, miscellaneous in 10% and unknown in 16% 10). A summary of the most common emergency department primary diagnoses are presented in Table 1. Of all admitted patients, 18% had a primary emergency department diagnosis of palpitations, cardiac dysrhythmia, not otherwise specified or tachycardia, not otherwise specified at the time of admission. Cardiac diagnoses made up approximately 62% of all hospital discharge diagnoses. A summary of the 10 most common hospital discharge diagnoses are presented in Table 2.
| Diagnosis |
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Can You Have A Heart Attack From Palpitations
Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, theyre usually harmless. In rare cases, they can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat , that might require treatment.
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What to Do
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How Accurate Are Electrocardiograms
An electrocardiogram is a representation of the electrical activity of the heart in multiple views. It records about 12 seconds and patients with palpitations may or may not have an abnormality on their EKG during that time. That is why many physicians use ambulatory EKGs or Holter monitors to try to make a diagnosis.
The other benefit of the standard EKG is that it may reveal evidence of other things that may be wrong with the heart such as an old heart attack or other electrical abnormalities that may provide important clues to an underlying diagnosis that the palpitations represent. So an electrocardiogram is a valuable part of a heart evaluation, but is not particularly sensitive for detecting heart rhythm abnormalities.
What Are The Health Risks Of Experiencing Heart Palpitations
The irregularity of the heart rhythm per se usually does no damage to the heart itself. Patients with a very rapid heart over a long period of time do run a risk of developing enlargement and failure of the heart.
We see heart enlargment with a very common cause of palpitations called atrial fibrillation. Patients can be in atrial fibrillation for many years without harm, but some patients with very little symptoms may have too rapid and irregular a rhythm present with symptoms of heart failure. There may also be some increased risk of stroke because of blood clots that can form in association with atrial fibrillation.
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Managing Palpitations And Arrhythmias During Pregnancy
Dawn L AdamsonCatherine NelsonPiercy
Arrhythmias in pregnancy are common and may cause concern for the wellbeing of both the mother and the fetus. For some mothers the arrhythmias may be a recurrence of a previously diagnosed arrhythmia or the first presentation in a woman with known structural heart disease. In most cases, however, there is no previous history of heart disease, and the new occurrence of a cardiac problem can generate considerable anxiety. The majority of arrhythmias that occur during pregnancy are benign, and simply troublesome hence, advice about appropriate actions during symptomatic episodes, together with reassurance, is usually all that is required. In the remaining minority of cases, judicious use of antiarrhythmic drugs will lead to a safe and successful outcome for both mother and baby. While there were no documented maternal deaths from primary arrhythmias in the last UK confidential enquiry into maternal mortality, 9% of cardiac deaths were defined as sudden adult death syndrome, which raises the possibility of death from a primary arrhythmia. In women with known structural heart disease, however, arrhythmia is one of the five independent predictors of having a cardiac event during the pregnancy and should therefore be treated seriously.
First What Are Heart Palpitations Exactly
Generally when we talk about palpitations, it means youre aware of your heart beating, and it feels like its not normal, Shephal Doshi, M.D., director of cardiac electrophysiology at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells SELF.
If you ask four people with heart palpitations to describe them, you might get four varying answers. When people say, I have heart palpitations, they can mean so many different things that you have to tease out some details as to what exactly they feel, Sanjiv Patel, M.D., cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., tells SELF.
People often mistake normal heart activity for heart palpitations too. Some people are very attuned to their bodies, feel their hearts beating faster and think its a palpitation, but its still beating at a normal speed of up to 100 beats a minute, Dr. Patel says. Which is all to say that the symptoms of heart palpitations arent cut and dry.
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