What causes palpitations?

Palpitations are what we usually call heart panic. A sudden increase in heartbeat, or a sudden slowdown, or an irregular heartbeat are all symptoms of palpitations. Many people can feel them, but some patients cannot. Therefore, not being able to feel them is a very scary thing. We need to check our bodies regularly to eliminate potential dangers to the body, especially the heart.

Palpitations are a relatively common symptom, which are sometimes closely related to excessive heart activity. For example, a healthy person may have great emotional fluctuations due to certain things, excessive mental stress, or being frightened, intense physical exercise, excessive smoking and drinking, etc. can all cause palpitations. If the palpitations are pathological, you must go to the hospital for treatment. It is better to say that palpitations are caused by diseases such as nerve failure and cardiac neurosis. Let’s learn about the causes of heart palpitations.

Palpitations refer to the patient's conscious heartbeat or panic, often accompanied by discomfort in the precordial area. It is generally believed that palpitations are related to excessive heart activity. When the heart rate is irregular and the cardiac output is abnormal, it can cause palpitations.

1. Common causes

(1) Increased heart rate

1. Physiologically, it occurs in normal people after strenuous physical activity or mental excitement, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs such as ephedrine, caffeine, and adrenaline, which can also increase the heart rate and cause palpitations.

2. Pathological conditions such as ventricular hypertrophy (such as rheumatic, hypertensive, coronary artery sclerosis, etc.), anemia, high fever, hyperthyroidism, and other diseases that cause increased cardiac output can all cause palpitations.

(ii) Arrhythmias such as tachycardia or bradycardia (such as high-degree atrioventricular block, etc.) and irregular heart rhythm (such as premature beats, atrial fibrillation, etc.) can cause patients to experience palpitations.

(III) Cardiac neurosis is a clinical syndrome caused by autonomic dysfunction, which leads to cardiovascular dysfunction. In addition to palpitations, patients also have stabbing or dull pain in the left chest, difficulty breathing, and are often accompanied by other neurotic symptoms.

2. Key points of medical consultation

When asking questions, pay attention to the time when palpitations occur, their relationship with labor, and accompanying symptoms.

(1) Palpitations accompanied by chest pain can be seen in coronary artery ischemia, myocarditis, cardiac neurosis, etc.

(ii) Palpitations accompanied by fever can be seen in rheumatic fever, hyperthyroidism, pericarditis, myocarditis, infective endocarditis and other febrile diseases.

(III) Palpitations accompanied by syncope and convulsions may be seen in cardiogenic cerebral hypoxia syndrome caused by high-degree atrioventricular block, ventricular fibrillation or paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

(IV) Palpitations accompanied by dyspnea can be seen in acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, severe anemia, etc.

We all know what palpitations are. If you suddenly feel palpitations in your daily life, it is recommended that you seek medical attention in time and avoid excessive exercise. In addition, older friends must have regular physical examinations, especially for their heart, and avoid excessive smoking and drinking. I hope everyone can be healthy.