Heart Palpitations: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Heart palpitations refer to the uncomfortable awareness of one's own heartbeat. It’s like the sensation of a rapid, fluttering, or pounding heart. Most of the time, these palpitations are harmless or temporary, but ignoring them completely can be a bad idea because, in some cases, they could be due to some underlying diseases in your body. 

This article will provide you with information about heart palpitation’s causes, diagnosis and treatment options and how it would affect life on a daily basis.

Causes

• Stress and anxiety: Palpitations may be brought on by anxiety or emotional strain. The probability of feeling our heartbeat increases when we are nervous or anxious. Palpitations that occur due to anxiety are mostly harmless. It can also happen because of several other emotions, such as fear, panic and shock.
• Physical activity: Palpitations may occur after intense exercise, especially if you're out of shape. As we have all observed, exercise increases heart rate and contraction force, which can also cause heart palpitation.
• Medications and supplements: Palpitations are a possible side effect of some drugs or nutritional supplements. Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine, nicotine, or certain medications can cause heart palpitations.
• Heart conditions: Heart issues like arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), heart valve problems, or abnormalities of the heart muscle can cause palpitations.
• Other medical conditions: Anaemia, low blood sugar, thyroid issues, and electrolyte abnormalities are a few medical diseases that might cause palpitations.

Diagnosis

It's crucial to seek medical help from a doctor for a precise diagnosis if you experience frequent or persistent heart palpitations. Because if it is frequent, then you should not ignore it and get immediate medical help.

Medical history and physical examination: To determine your general health, your doctor will examine your physical condition, ask about your medical history, and discuss your symptoms.

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): An ECG can detect irregular cardiac rhythms by capturing the electrical activity of your heart and it can also help in detecting the early warnings of a heart attack. An ECG can indicate whether the heart is beating too slowly, too quickly, or not at all.

Echocardiogram: This ultrasound examination produces finely detailed images of your heart that can be used to look for structural or valve disorders. It analyzes your blood flow through the heart and heart valves.

Holter monitoring: This portable ECG equipment is worn for a day or longer to track the heart's rhythm and beat during routine activities. It is used to find heart palpitations that are missed by a routine ECG examination. Some portable gadgets, including smartwatches, allow for remote ECG monitoring. If this is a choice for you, ask your doctor.

Event recording: Your doctor may suggest an event recorder if you don't have an irregular heartbeat when using a Holter monitor or if the occurrences are less often than once per week. When symptoms show up, you click a button. When you experience arrhythmia or symptoms, an event recorder needs to be worn for up to 30 days.

Treatment

The treatment of heart palpitations depends on the hidden or underlying cause of the disease and its severity.

• Modify lifestyle: Palpitations can be lessened by controlling stress, engaging in regular exercise, avoiding the triggers like caffeine or nicotine and maintaining a balanced diet.
• Medications: Medication may be recommended to control heart rhythm or treat the specific ailment wherein palpitations are linked to arrhythmias or underlying cardiac problems. Also, you need to discuss with your doctor if you’re taking any medications for other conditions.
• Treatment of underlying conditions: If palpitations are a result of an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid problems, treating that condition can alleviate the symptoms.
• Implantable devices: A pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) may be suggested in some cases to treat irregular heartbeats.

Also, Read: The Dangers of Uncontrolled Hypertension