Causes of palpitations
The causes of palpitations
Racing heart or Palpitations are the slang descriptions of the so-called Tachycardia, a state that is defined as a pulse rate of at least 100 beats per minute. Usually that beats heart in the adult about 60 times per minute, when it is accelerated strongly, an affected person perceives this as Racing heart true, which can be accompanied by other complaints.
Actually it is Racing heart only one symptom and no disease. Under certain circumstances it can appear briefly in healthy people, as a concomitant symptom of one of many other diseases, independently for a wide variety of causes or sometimes even for no apparent reason.
In some cases, palpitations are not a cause for concern. For example, it is normal for young children to have one increased pulse that often exceeds 100 beats per minute. It is also wanted by the body that that heart in Stressful situations beats faster. This means that more blood is distributed in the body and thus oxygen is also brought to the tissues.
At sporting activities is therefore an increased one Muscular blood flow makes sense, tachycardia occurs. Also at mental stress there is an accelerated heartbeat because of the hormone adrenaline is distributed. This should put the body on alert and enable a fight or an escape. This requires increased work of the heart. Many extreme psychological situations are accompanied by palpitations, including high psychological stress due to stress, nervousness, fear or joyful excitement. Racing heart caused by stress is not uncommon. Another cause can be a lack of fluids in the body (Dehydration), which the heart wants to compensate for with an increased beat frequency in order to keep the blood pressure stable.
Some of the causes of the racing heart lie in the heart itself. A distinction is made here between ventricular tachycardian (the problem lies in the ventricle, this is the worse form, since the heart cannot compensate for it) and supraventricular tachycardias (the problem lies in the Auricles).
For example, there may be additional conduction pathways or other disorders in the heart's complex conduction system that lead to increased ventricular excitation.
Also the coronary heart disease, Heart muscle diseases (Cardiomyopathies) or the heart valves (see also: Valvular heart disease) can cause a racing heart. These various underlying ailments of the heart lead to one Circulatory disorder of the heart muscle, which ultimately causes the symptoms and, more rarely, through Infections, Inflammation or Tumors of the heart can be evoked.
In addition, there are various diseases that originally affect a different part of the body, but secondarily also affect the heart and lead to an accelerated pulse. Above all are here Thyroid disorders which lead to their hyperfunction. This also includes, for example, the autoimmune disease Graves disease.
Other causes of palpitations are:
- an anemia (anemia)
- a low blood sugar level
- a high blood pressure (hypertension), which usually arises from arteriosclerosis.
Less often there are:
- chronic lung disease
- Disorders of the body's electrolyte balance
- Hormone-producing tumors (the pheochromocytoma produces uncontrolled adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster for practically no reason), which are accompanied by the same symptoms.
Mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders also occasionally cause the heart to enter a tachycardic state.
In addition, palpitations can also be triggered by external factors. Above all, the excessive consumption of caffeinated drinks (especially coffee and cola) leads to a temporary palpitations in many. Other stimulants such as nicotine, alcohol and some drugs can also trigger tachycardia. Certain medications can also cause a racing heart as a side effect. Poisoning, for example with some types of mushrooms, should not be ruled out as a cause. Most people also feel their hearts racing in the context of sunstroke or heat stroke.
Furthermore, there is the racing heart as a non-specific symptom as a reaction to exceptional states of the body such as:
- fever
- Inflammation (it is particularly common in appendicitis, for example)
- Allergy or
- the menopause.
It can also happen that no reason for a racing heart can be identified. In this case, one speaks of idiopathic tachycardia, which, however, is a diagnosis of exclusion.
Another special case is congenital tachycardia.This is due to a fault in the conduction of excitation in the heart and requires an operation through which it can be completely cured.
Read more on the topic: You can recognize a magnesium deficiency by these symptoms
Racing heart caused by stress
We, as mammals, have mechanisms within ourselves by nature body about us to protect against dangerous situations.
When we find ourselves in situations that the body and we see as threatening fear get, our body activates an independently working nervous system, the Sympathetic system, and sends signals to ours through this Adrenal medulla, in which messenger substances are produced that prepare the rest of our body to escape the dangerous situation, in primeval times by running away.
These messenger substances are called in our body adrenaline and Noadrenaline. They dock at so-called G-coupled receptors on various organs and thus ensure that our Blood pressure rises, our Muscles better supplied with blood that the sugar stores mobilize from the storage areas of our body into the blood and above all increase they the Heart rate.
Unfortunately, our body cannot tell whether we are in a physically dangerous situation or ours Psychological fear is conditional, i.e. only prevails in our head and we are not faced with any tangible danger that we have to physically escape.
However, we now live in a time in which we often cannot escape dangerous situations by running away, but are even exposed to these situations every day, for example when we have a stressful working day or an unrelaxed work environment.
Of course there are many other factors that affect us stress and which influence how much we let it influence us.
Especially at night, when we are trying to calm down, our thoughts wander to the things that worry us and that we fear.
Through the increased sympathetic system activation and the thus increased adrenaline and noadrenaline release, our heart rate and ours rise Heart beats faster.
You can find more information on this topic here: Racing heart caused by stress
thyroid
Another possible reason is one Overactive thyroid. To understand this one has to know that the thyroid is an organ which, on command of the brain, releases messenger substances (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)). These cause a general increase in our metabolic performance, among other things they also increase our heartbeat.
At a Hyperfunction The thyroid becomes independent and releases more messenger substances than the body signals to it.
This is through a simple one Blood test diagnosable.
When in everyday life for no apparent reason sweats a lot, Racing heart gets or increases nervousness and Diarrhea tends to suffer from an overactive thyroid.
Racing heart after alcohol
Also Alcohol consumption can to Racing heart to lead. Especially red wine acts on our vascular system in the Dilating end arteries. (This is also the reason why alcoholics are often portrayed with the characteristic red nose or red face.)
If you imagine the body with all its vessels as a closed pipe system, with the heart as a pump, you can understand that with a Expansion of the vessels, of the Total system pressure drops. This puts the heart on alert, since it is essential that our body is supplied with blood around its own with a certain pressure at all times Oxygen supply to maintain. To counteract the pressure drop in the system, The heart increases its beating rate reflexively to ensure a constant pressure. This is the reason why the heart beats faster after drinking alcohol.
Read a lot more information on this topic at: Racing heart after alcohol
Racing heart and nausea
In addition to dizziness, a feeling of pressure on the chest, can also nausea occur as one of the symptoms accompanying a racing heart. Many people have benign palpitations. It usually occurs when the body is at rest, regardless of certain situations. The seizures happen suddenly and also go away.
Nausea and racing heart can also be used in conjunction with a Panic attack occur. The benign palpitations should be clarified by a doctor, as it can affect various areas of life.
If nausea and palpitations appear together for the first time, a heart attack should be ruled out.
Racing heart and diarrhea
If there are accompanying symptoms such as diarrhea in addition to a palpitations, it could be Hyperthyroidism act. Here it comes from a increased production of thyroid hormones to increase the effects of these hormones. This leads, for example, to symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, restlessness, nervousness, weight loss, restlessness, sleep disorders and an increased stool frequency up to an increased tendency to diarrhea.
Thus, if you suspect hyperthyroidism, i.e. an overactive thyroid gland in which several of the above symptoms occur, you should check your thyroid values in one Blood test let determine.
Palpitations and shortness of breath
Shortness of breath and in many situations, such as after physical exertion, an increased heart rate is a normal reaction of the human body to compensate for the oxygen deficit and the exhalation of CO2.
To step Shortness of breath and palpitations on the other hand already at low physical stress this can indicate a serious heart disease. A reduced pumping function of the heart muscle causes an insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissue. The cause for this can be the coronary heart disease, Valvular heart disease or different Cardiac arrhythmias be.
What might also interest you: Symptoms of low blood pressure
Racing heart at night
Just as there are many causes of palpitations in general, a rapid pulse at night with more than 100 beats per minute can have many reasons that need to be differentiated, which is usually extremely difficult. A rapid heartbeat occurs naturally when the body's need for oxygen is increased, e.g. B. after physical or psychological stress. Here, under the influence of hormones such as adrenaline, among other things, an increase in the heartbeat and blood circulation as well as a provision of energy reserves. In evolution, this had the advantage that you could escape in a stressful situation in the event of danger.
Since fleeing from psychological stress, for example, would not be very helpful or useful nowadays, physical adaptation reactions still occur when stress is present. Especially at night, when you want to calm down, many people think again about many things and start pondering, which can often lead to a racing heart at night.
Another cause is the consumption of alcohol. Especially in younger men who have drunk large amounts of alcohol, it has been proven that there is a higher risk of heart palpitations at night. This phenomenon is known as the so-called holiday heart syndrome, it is atrial fibrillation triggered by alcohol, a disordered and too rapid activity of the atria. However, this is only a short-term cardiac arrhythmia and normalizes itself again after the alcohol level has dropped, but you should pay more attention to your drinking habits in the future.
Finally, many other structural heart diseases can lead to palpitations. It is therefore important to see a doctor if symptoms persist for a long time, since a racing heart can also hide serious illnesses.
Read more on the subject at: Racing heart at night
Palpitations during menopause
Menopause is the time immediately before and after the last menstrual period in women when there is a hormonal change. For some women, this time begins at the age of 40 and is over for almost all by the age of 58 at the latest. The most significant change here is the decrease in estrogen production by the ovaries, which are also the various complaints explained in the so-called climacteric (medical term for menopause). The estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle and has other important influences such as on bone metabolism. During the menopause, this change leads to various symptoms, which are medically referred to as climacteric syndrome.
This includes, for example, hot flashes, Racing heart, Sweats, insomnia, depressive moods, dryness and vaginal infections, nervousness, irritability and the increased risk of osteoporosis. Hot flashes are a relatively common and therefore well-known symptom that begins with discomfort and manifests as a heat wave over the face, neck and upper body. Often times this is done by one strong palpitations or even a fast heartbeat accompanied. It can then become a Sweating come and then sometimes even to a shiver. As a rule, the racing heart subsides after this heat phase has ended.
Cause of palpitations during pregnancy
There are numerous physical changes due to pregnancy. This includes, among other things, that up to 50 percent more blood is formed in order to ensure that the growing child is adequately supplied. This increased amount of blood now has to be transported in the body, which is why the heart has to increase its performance, i.e. it has to beat faster and stronger, which is noticeable as a racing heart.
Furthermore, during pregnancy there are changed pressure conditions on organs and large vessels. For example, squeezing the inferior vena cava leads to a reduced blood flow back to the heart, which is why the heart in turn has to provide more pumping power, resulting in an increased pulse rate.
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Palpitations are psychosomatic
One hears more and more often that complaints are viewed as psychosomatic, especially if no organic reason for the corresponding symptoms can be found, i.e. if the organ functions are not pathologically changed or if they function physiologically perfectly.
Under psychosomatic one understands, so to speak, the Triggering of physical symptoms, the cause of which lies in the psyche. There is mostly a psychological conflict in the subconscious, which is not processed on the emotional level, but is projected onto various organ systems and functions.
This can then lead to different physical complaints, such as headache, dizziness, pain with ever changing localization, itching, abdominal cramps, restlessness, tremors, nausea, panic attacks, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest or even a racing heart. Often the sufferer has several of these symptoms at the same time or alternating one after the other. For example, the affected person feels the sudden palpitations and does not relate this to the psyche, but rather attributes this symptom to an organic cause. For fear of possible triggers, such as heart failure, the symptoms worsen in this situation and similar symptoms may occur more frequently in the future.
As the patient suffers from this, it is important to reflect on whether a psychological component is the possible cause. The person affected should not be afraid to seek competent help and advice from a psychotherapist, for example, even if one feels mentally unaffected. Often also can Problems in the body that seem trivial lead to such complaints. Of course, all other primarily organic causes should be ruled out beforehand and, in acute, severe situations, a doctor should be consulted to be on the safe side, as psychosomatic complaints should not be played down either.
