Many people wonder what the causes of heart palpitations are after they have experienced heart palpitations symptoms. These are sensations in the chest that feel as if the heart is racing or flip flopping. This problem may be caused because the beating muscle may have skipped a beat or even stopped for a couple of beats. These sensations can be felt in the chest, throat, or neck. This feeling can be accompanied by lightheadedness, uneasiness, or even a loss of consciousness. A normal person has a pulse of about 60 to 100 times per minute. For those who exercise regularly or for people who take certain types of medications, the tempo may be under 55. If the rate, however, goes over 100 times per minute, that is called tachycardia. If it slows to less than 55, that is called brachycardia. If there is an occasional extra beat, that is called extrasystole. Often, when the rhythm is not above 100 or below 55, the problem is not serious. But if the rhythm is irregular, that can signify a serious problem called arrhythmia.
The causes of heart palpitations may be from certain risk factors such as a previous history of cardiac disease, abnormal valve in the muscle, or an electrolyte balance in the body caused by something like low potassium. Some of the reasons the irregularity can occur is because the person is exercising, is experiencing anxiety or fear, or has a fever. Most people have experienced a time when something frightened them and they felt strange feelings in their chest. Other problems that can bring up these abnormalities are ingesting items such as caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, or diet pills. Reading the labels on diet pills is an important step in taking them. Other reasons for heart palpitations symptoms are some types of thyroid disease, anemia, hyperventilation, low levels of oxygen in the blood, and certain proscribed drugs such as asthma drugs, beta blockers, or antiarrhythmics. Other ingested substances such as certain herbals and alcohol can also be the source. Certain illnesses also bring about the same sensations, such as mitral valve prolapse. This is when the valve that separates the left upper chamber called the atrium and the left lower chamber called the ventricle of the cardiac muscle do not work properly.
No matter why the problem persists, the sufferer should seek a doctor’s advice. He will determine the causes of heart palpitations by doing an oral examine in which he asks about medications that are taken regularly, diet, and a history of panic attacks. He will probably order an electrocardiogram and some blood tests. If the causes of the heart palpitations cannot be determined through these methods, he may order a coronary monitor to be worn for one for fourteen days to record the rhythm of the cardiac muscle. At this point, it is important for patients to be honest with the medical professionals about lifestyle issues so that they can assess the problem accurately. It doesn’t help to cover up any illegal drug use or a habit of taking diet pills because they won’t be able to decide if the problem is serious or just nature taking its course. The most common substance to bring about this symptom is using substances that contain caffeine. Some people feel this way when they eat chocolate too. So it’s important to make an assessment of these daily habits before conversing with a doctor. It may be good to record the number of cups of coffee drank in one day and when or the amount of chocolate eaten, or the amount of alcohol imbibed. This will help the doctor get to the source of the sickness. He will also most likely ask about any over-the-counter medications taken regularly.
Other tests that may be ordered to find the causes of heart palpitations are an ultrasound of the chest, a treadmill test, or some sophisticated blood tests. These will be done if the doctor decides that the illness in not benign but may be serious. Shortness of breath can also accompany heart palpitations symptoms, causing the sufferer to feel panicky, which can aggravate the crisis. In worse case scenarios, the illness may lead to coronary surgery or other invasive treatments. But not always does shortness of breath along with irregularities in the cardiac rhythm mean a serious diagnosis. But the more the risk factors, the greater the chance that the disease has progressed. If lightheadedness of loss of consciousness has also occurred, an in-depth physical examination is in order. If the person has had a history of cardiac arrest or congestive heart failure, immediate attention to the irregularity needs to be taken. Only a personal physician can do this assessment.
Some people experience premature ventricular complexes PVC, which are extra beats from the ventricle. Some studies have shown that people who have PVCs in the critical care unit may be in greater danger of having cardiac arrest; however, PVCs do occur in healthy people also. Caution is needed for these patients because sometimes using powerful medications to stop the problem can lead to severe coronary disease. Often, PVCs go away by themselves without any treatment. One effective antidote to heart palpitation symptoms is to live in contentment. First Timothy 6:6 states, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” The person who maintains an even temperament and doesn’t live with consistent anxiety will experience greater health and well being. Heart palpitations symptoms are not necessarily something to panic about, but something to check out and take care of in a logical way.