Heart palpitations
Palpitations of the heart are known as the feeling of a flutter or a rapid pulse in the chest area, [1] and heart palpitations can occur for several reasons, and most of these causes are simple and harmless and do not cause concern, and such reasons cause palpitations for a short period of time only, Among these reasons: feeling anxiety, tension and fear, exercising intense exercise, consuming foods or drinks containing caffeine, nicotine products, and hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy , as well as taking some types of medication may cause heart palpitations, and in a few cases it may be attributed to heart palpitations. To more serious and severe causes, such as arrhythmia, heart failure , and heart valve problemsLow oxygen level in the blood, and an overactive thyroid gland. [2] [3]
To learn more about heart palpitations, read the following article: ( Sudden heart palpitations, its causes and treatment ) .
Treating heart palpitations
The treatment of heart palpitations depends on the underlying cause, if the cause was not a specific problem or disease in the heart. Making some lifestyle adjustments is often enough to get rid of heart palpitations, including avoiding the stimuli that cause palpitations, and on the other hand, palpitations caused by the presence of a specific problem or disease in the heart requires treatment of the same problem to get rid of palpitations, (4) ] [5]In general, it is recommended for individuals who suffer from palpitations to make healthy changes to their lifestyle, including: Ensuring healthy food and exercising regularly, as well as the importance of avoiding stimulants that are believed to stimulate palpitations, it has been shown that limiting the intake of foods and drinks containing On caffeine and abstaining from nicotine products, the palpitations will be significantly reduced, and in some cases the doctor may prescribe medications to treat palpitations, and the following is a detail of the treatment options available for the problem of heart palpitations. [6]
Practice relaxation techniques
Stress has a negative impact on the person’s life and health in general. It has been known that stress may stimulate the occurrence of palpitations or make it worse in the event of suffering before. Therefore, it is recommended to practice relaxation techniques to reduce stress and deal with it in a healthy way: [7]
- Meditation exercises.
- Deep breathing.
- Read newspapers and magazines.
- Spending time outside the home.
- Do yoga exercises.
- Doing exercises.
- Taking vacations or breaks from school or work.
Deep breathing
It is recommended to practice the deep breathing technique because it helps to relax, and it can be applied by providing a suitable calm environment, then sitting and closing the eyes, and it is recommended to place one of the hands on the stomach and then take a deep breath slowly through the nose, then exhale through the mouth or The nose by expelling the air outside the body, and a movement of the abdomen can be felt outside and inside while doing this, and in the event that you feel better after doing this, it is recommended to repeat the steps over and over, and in the event that this fails to control the feeling of heart palpitations, the maneuvers can be performed, which will be explained below, If the palpitations continue, though, it is worth calling 911. [8]
Vagus nerve maneuvers
In the heart there is a node known as the atrioventricular node, which is a group of cells located at the base of the heart, specifically in the upper part of the right side of the heart, and is responsible for controlling the heartbeat, and these nodes receive signals from the nerve that Known as the vagus nerve, knowing that the vagus nerve is a long nerve that extends from the brain to the abdomen, it is believed that maneuvers at the level of the vagus nerve known as Vagal maneuvers can be performed to slow the heartbeat. These vagus nerve maneuvers slow down the electrical conduction that takes place in the atrioventricular node of the heart, thus slowing down the heart rate, but it is worth noting that these maneuvers are only performed after consulting a doctor and allowing the doctor to perform them. Examples of these maneuvers are the following: [9]
- Valsalva maneuver, and this maneuver means closing the mouth and pressing the nose to hold the breath, then trying to push the breath out in the meantime, with the aim of generating pressure in the chest area, which activates the vagus nerve, and if the doctor advises to do this The type of maneuvers, it is recommended that the maneuver be done for ten seconds, and you can take a squatting or sitting position while doing this, as these positions help to get the desired result.
- Cough ; The vagus nerve can be stimulated and activated by coughing forcefully, as this causes pressure in the chest area, but it should be noted that this method is not effective for everyone. For example, children with a fast heartbeat cannot do this.
- Lifting the knees towards the chest for a minute, this is recommended for babies and children.
- Cold water treatment, and the principle of this treatment is the use of ice covered with a cloth spot on the face so that it is applied for fifteen seconds, and you can shower with cold water or immerse the face with cold ice water for a few seconds.
- Carotid sinus massage, and this type of maneuver is only performed under the supervision of a specialist doctor, and only in the emergency rooms.
Ensure the balance of blood salts in the body
Electrolytes, or blood salts, are defined as compounds present in the body in certain quantities to help it transmit electrical signals, and these signals play an effective and important role in regulating the heartbeat, and the level of blood salts in the body can be enhanced by making sure to eat foods rich in sodium or potassium. Or calcium or magnesium, taking into account that sodium is usually found in sufficient quantities in the usual diet, and as for the sources of potassium, they are potatoes , bananas, spinach and avocadosAs for calcium, it is found abundantly in dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables, while magnesium is found in nuts and fish, as well as dark green leafy vegetables. Some people may need to take certain nutritional supplements that contain the mentioned elements, but it is forbidden to take these supplements without consulting and reviewing a doctor, as he is able to determine whether a person needs to take them, as well as the importance of informing the doctor of any other medicines that the person is taking because the nutritional supplements may It interacts with medications. [7]
Get regular exercise
It is recommended to exercise regularly, especially light aerobic exercises, swimming and walking, because of the great benefits of sport on human health, including stimulating the flow of oxygen in the lungs and blood, and helping to lose excess weight, as well as playing an important role in stimulating feeling Relaxed. [10]
Refrain from eating certain foods, drinks, and materials
Individuals who suffer from heart palpitations should avoid the following foods, beverages and materials: [11]
- Alcohol .
- Nicotine.
- Caffeine.
- Legally prohibited drugs and substances.
- Stimulating medicines, including some medicines used to treat coughs and colds, as well as some types of nutritional or herbal supplements.
Treating the offense
In the event that heart palpitations are caused by a certain heart problem or another disease, then the specialist tends to focus on it and treat it, because treating the cause necessarily results in solving the heart palpitations problem and any other symptoms the sufferer complains of, and the fact that the doctor chooses for treatment depends on the nature of The problem that the concerned person suffers from, and among the available treatment options, we mention the following: [12]
- Medicinal options: The doctor may prescribe certain drugs to restore the normal rhythm of the heartbeat, and among the drug options that may work in such cases are those that follow the group of beta-receptor blockers , and calcium channel blockers In addition to a group of other medicines that have proven effective.
- Cardiac ablation of the heart by catheterization: or catheter ablation, catheter ablation, or cardiac ablation, which is a method in which the area responsible for causing arrhythmias in the patient is burned, and it is done in an outpatient setting; Where the specialist doctor brings the medical wires designated for this purpose, then they are inserted through the leg of the injured person up to the heart, and there the doctor determines the area of the heart responsible for the problem to take the appropriate action.
- Cardiac rhythm evaluation: or cardiac rhythm evaluation , which is one of the rapid operations that aims to restore the heart to its normal rhythm without disturbances or problems, by using electric shocks, and it is performed under the influence of anesthesia, but often the person subject to this Operation Leave the hospital and return to his home an hour or two after this operation.
- The implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, in some cases of heart rhythm disorders, the doctor may resort to using a device known as the cardioverter defibrillator, which can be implanted in the heart, after Ensure that the patient suffers from an abnormal heart rhythm, as the type of disorder that the patient suffers from is identified and then immediately adjusted.
See a doctor
Feeling heart palpitations from time to time is not a cause for concern in most cases, as most people have felt heart palpitations at least once during their life, and most of these cases were harmless transient causes, and therefore it can be said that feeling heart palpitations without It frequently occurs significantly and is not given special attention if the person is healthy and does not suffer from any health problem, but if the palpitations occur repeatedly or if the throbbing episode lasts for more than a few seconds; It is appropriate for the person concerned to monitor the case and record the frequency, times and duration of the case, in order to make it easier for the doctor to diagnose the case when reviewing it, as well as for the diagnosis to be accurate. [4]It is also worth seeing a doctor in the event of suffering from heart palpitations (even if it is not frequent and of short duration) if the person has a risk factor for heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes. [6]
On the other hand, immediate medical help should be sought, such as emergency, for example, if the heart palpitations are accompanied by any of the following: [6]
- Loss of consciousness or fainting.
- Feeling of chest pain.
- Dizziness .
- Sweating.
- Feeling of heaviness in the chest.
References
- ↑ "Palpitations" , patient.info , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Palpitations" , theheartclinic.london , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Heart Palpitations" , www.upmc.com , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ^ A b "Should the I See , of a Doctor? When To : Worry About Heart View Palpitations" , Www.floridamedicalclinic.com , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited by .
- ↑ "Heart palpitations" , www.mayoclinic.org , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ^ A b t "Palpitations" , Www.hopkinsmedicine.org , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited by .
- ^ A b "Ways To Stop heart 's Palpitations" , www.medicalnewstoday.com The , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited by .
- ↑ "Skipping a beat - the surprise of heart palpitations" , www.health.harvard.edu , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Vagal Maneuvers for a Fast Heart Rate" , www.cardiosmart.org , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Heart Palpitations" , chemocare.com , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Heart Palpitations" , www.webmd.com , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
- ↑ "Heart Palpitations" , www.aurorahealthcare.org , Retrieved July 11, 2020. Edited.
