What Are Heart Palpitations?

Heart palpitations, are by definition, an irregular or abnormal heart beat. Palpitations are generally not considered to be dangerous, but can signify an underlying heart condition. Ideally, the heart rate is between 60-100 beats per minute, but sometimes can be rapid, slow, or have the sensation of skipped beats. A heart rate over 100 is called tachycardia, and a heart rate less than 60 beats per minute is called bradycardia.

What Causes Heart Palpitations?

There are many causes for heart palpitations, and can often be attributed the use of MSG in foods. MSG is a flavor enhancer, used to bring out the flavors in some processed foods. Other causes include:

• Heart disease


• Abnormal heart valve


• Electrolyte imbalance


• Heart palpitations can be caused by:


• Exercise


• Anxiety, stress, fear


• Fever


• Caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, diet pills


• Overactive thyroid


• Anemia


• Hyperventilation


• Low blood oxygen level


• Medications

How are They Diagnosed?

Most common diagnostic tests for palpitations include EKG and holter monitoring. A holter monitor tracks your heart's activity for a period of 24 hours to 30 days. When the patient has a palpitation, they are to write down what activities they were engaged in at the time, and a detailed report is given to the doctor at the next scheduled visit. At the end of testing, the patient returns the monitor containing all pertinent data. The doctor will then analyze the data to determine the diagnosis. Of special note, however, it can be normal for irregular heart beats to be found in young children, even without the presence of disease.

Reduce Your Stress:

Reducing stress and anxiety can help lessen the frequency or intensity of your heart palpitations. Breathing exercises and deep relaxation can help to curb a racing heart. Practicing yoga or tai chi can also reduce the frequency of your palpitations. Another way to get your heart to beating normally is called cough CPR. This is accomplished by taking 2-3 deep cleansing breaths followed by a deep cough. Most times, helps in getting your heart back to a normal beat.

Keep a record of how often you have palpitations, when they happen, how long they last, your heart rate at the time of the palpitations, and what you are feeling at the time. This information may help your doctor figure out both their seriousness and their underlying cause.

If you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or other concerning symptoms, and are in the emergency room, your cardiac rhythm will be monitored. An emergency intervention will be performed if necessary to restore normal cardiac rhythm.

Prevention:

Whether or not it is related to stress, do your best to reduce the stress in your life. When stressed, a chemical called adrenalin is produced by the body. Adrenalin is appropriate in the "fight or flight" response, but a constant barrage of adrenalin can cause great strain on the body resulting in a rise blood pressure. To prevent palpitations follow these simple rules:

• Quit smoking.


• Eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet.


• Exercise regularly.


• Try stress management techniques such as yoga, tai chi, or meditation.


• Make sure that your blood pressure and cholesterol are under control.

Treatment:

Treatment depends mainly on what is causing the palpitations. Caffeine is a well known culprit of irregular heart beats. In this case, ingesting non-decaffeinated drinks will reduce heart palpitations. In premenopausal women, too little magnesium in the body can produce an irregular heart beat. A supplement of equal dosages of magnesium and calcium may be helpful in eliminating palpitations. For severe cases, medication is often prescribed, such as Atenolol, a beta blocker. Beta blockers block the affects of adrenaline on the body. If beta blockers are not appropriate, other antiarrhythmics can be prescribed.

If you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or other alarming symptoms, and are in the emergency room, your cardiac rhythm will be monitored. If necessary, cardioversion, an electrical shock performed under light anesthesia, can be performed to restore normal cardiac rhythm.

Ultimately, if palpitations result in loss of consciousness, this is a serious implication. Consult your physician immediately to arrange for proper testing and diagnosis.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT