Have you experienced as if your heart is on a race that you feel like it cannot cope up with the rate? You may be experiencing palpitations. The question is, should you be worried? Maybe, but it depends on what causes your palpitation. Palpitations that occur infrequently and last only a few seconds normally do not require evaluation. Heart palpitations are sensations of a racing, fluttering, or hammering heart. They can be triggered by stress, exercise, medicine, or, in rare cases, a medical issue. Although heart palpitations are unsettling, they are typically harmless. In rare situations, they can be an indication of a more serious cardiac disease, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), which may necessitate treatment.
Normally, the heart beats 60 to 100 times per minute. People who exercise often or use heart-slowing medications may experience a decline in their heart rate below 60 beats per minute. Irregular heart rates come in different types. Tachycardia is characterized by an abnormally fast heart rate (more than 100 beats per minute). On contrary, a heart rate slower than 60 beats per minute is referred to as Bradycardia. While Extrasystole is the term used to describe an occasional additional heartbeat that is out of rhythm.
Often, the source of your heart palpitations cannot be determined. Strong emotional responses such as stress, anxiety or panic attacks, depression, strenuous exercise, stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, and cold and cough medications containing pseudoephedrine, fever, hormone changes associated with menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, and too much or too little thyroid hormone are all common causes.
Possible problems associated with palpitations induced by a heart ailment include fainting. If your heart beats fast, your blood pressure might decrease which might cause you to faint. If you have a cardiac condition, such as congenital heart disease or certain valve disorders, this is more probable. Cardiac arrest is uncommon, but palpitations can be caused by potentially fatal arrhythmias, which cause your heart to stop beating properly. In some cases, palpitations can be a warning sign of having a stroke. If palpitations are caused by atrial fibrillation, a disease in which the upper chambers of the heart tremble instead of beating correctly, the blood can pool and cause to develop clots. If a clot breaks free, it can obstruct a brain artery, resulting in a stroke. Heart failure can occur if your heart pumps ineffectively for an extended length of time as a result of an arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. Controlling the pace of an arrhythmia that is causing heart failure might sometimes enhance your heart's function.
Your diet and nutrition-related concerns or conditions can also be contributory to your episodes of heart palpitations. These include:
- low potassium levels and dehydration.
- hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
- alcohol intake
- dietary allergy or sensitivity
- consumption of hot or fatty foods
- high salt diets, particularly canned or processed foods.
Keep a food record to see if you can pinpoint which foods cause your palpitations. In certain circumstances, a single item in your meal may be the source of the problem. If you can determine the triggers, try to avoid them and see if the palpitations go away.
Another preventive step is to minimize stress or anxiety as it has also been found to be beneficial. Whatever is causing your palpitations, there are several therapies available to help keep your heart rate and rhythm in balance. However, it is still best to visit a physician for a thorough examination of the underlying cause so that proper interventions can be applied to manage the condition before it becomes a serious medical concern.
PNFP Jezer Z. Calingacion, RND
SOURCES:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-palpitations/symptoms-causes/syc-20373196
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/major-signs-you-ve-already-had-coronavirus/ss-AAP9G3c
https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/heart-palpitations-after-eating/
