Do You Know Why Your Heart May Skip A Beat

Reasons Your Heart Just Skipped a Beat and When to Worry

Heart palpitations are usually normal—a cardiologist weighs in on ways to tell if it’s something more serious.

Has your heart ever felt like it was fluttering, throbbing, pounding or skipping a beat? That feeling is called a heart palpitation.

Generally, heart palpitations aren’t life threatening, says Tanmay Swadia, MD, a cardiologist at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Livonia, Michigan. Infrequent palpitations and palpitations only lasting a few seconds usually don't need further evaluation. However, there are instances where a dysrhythmia, or an abnormal heart beat, can be a cause for concern. Dr. Swadia details ways to tell if the heart beat in your chest is normal, or not.

What your heart beat says about your heart
Palpitations are basically a heightened awareness of your own heartbeat, explains Swadia. Your heart might beat faster, slower or differently than usual for a few reasons.

• Rapid, fast heartbeat at rest could be caused by stress, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, thyroid pills, cold medication, asthma drugs or diet pills.
• Sometimes low blood pressure, heart disease and some heart rhythm conditions can cause rapid heartbeat, too.
• A slow, forceful heartbeat might be a sign of heart rhythm problems such as bradycardia, in which your heart beats less than 60 times a minute.
• An irregular or fluttering heartbeat could be caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of irregular or abnormal heartbeat. Another heart problem, called premature ventricular contractions, can create this irregular beat. 

It might be difficult for patients to describe how exactly their heart is feeling. And likewise, doctors sometimes have a hard time understanding what the patient is feeling.

“I have patients describe their heart beat by tapping their finger on the table and just tell me how it feels to them,” says Swadia. This helps him take a first step towards diagnosing the problem at hand.

What’s normal and not-so-normal
The good news: While uncomfortable at first, heart palpitations are mostly benign. As far as frequency goes, heart flutters can occur frequently or infrequently, says Swadia.

“Generally, the frequency of heart palpitations does not dictate if the palpitations are serious or benign.” The symptoms that accompany the palpitations usually signal whether it’s a medical emergency or not, he adds.

You should seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting

Palpitations can be a sign of a heart problem—this is more likely in men or people with heart disease. If your palpitations are frequent, worsening, or lasting more than five minutes, speak with your doctor about your symptoms.

Anxiety, stimulants and gender also affect your heart beat
Some groups of people are at higher risk than others. Women who are menstruating, perimenopausal or pregnant may have a higher risk of experiencing heart palpations because of hormonal changes.

Other groups at higher risk include people who:

• Experience regular panic or anxiety attacks.
• Take medications like thyroid pills or stimulants like caffeine and diet pills.
• Have an existing medical condition such as an overactive thyroid or a heart condition.

What to expect during a doctor’s visit
If you go into the doctor for heart palpitations, expect your physician to do a thorough medical history and exam.

“Getting the patient’s story and performing an in-depth physical exam—including listening to the lungs, evaluating the heartbeat and the pulse—is very important in figuring out if a patient needs further evaluation,” says Swadia.

Typically doctors also use an electrocardiogram, (ECG or EKG), which assesses the electrical conduction of the heart. Even if the EKG comes back normal, it doesn’t rule out an arrhythmia or heart rhythm problem

Your doctor might recommend something called an ambulatory monitor. These include holter monitors, which are worn for 24 to 72 hours. Another device, called an event recorder, is worn for two to four weeks. The pocket size device can check for an abnormal heart rhythm when you notice symptoms.

If the underlying cause of your heart palpitation turns out to be a more serious heart condition, your doctor may do a more comprehensive evaluation.

Detect heart irregularities during your day-to-day 
Besides a visit to the doctor’s office, you can now also get notified if you have an irregular heartbeat just by looking at your wrist. Apple, in partnership with Stanford Medicine, released an Apple Heart Study app which they hope will empower people to take control of their health. 

The app uses the Apple Watch’s special technology to measure heart rate and blood flow through someone’s wrist. It will notify users if it senses an irregular heartbeat from AFib. The person can then connect directly with a physician either over the phone or on video conference to determine any next steps. Participants might be sent an EKG patch for additional monitoring, and can expect a follow-up meeting with the study coordinator.

While the app is currently available to anyone living in the US who is at least 22 years old and also owns an Apple Watch, Series 1 or newer, it’s not yet FDA approved for the diagnosis of any heart condition.  

Whether you track your heart rate using an app or an EKG, it’s important to understand what can trigger a palpitation in the first place.

Simple lifestyle modifications that lower your risk
“I cannot emphasize enough how much lifestyle measures go a long way,” says Swadia.

Try to cut out any known triggers such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, caffeine and energy drinks. “A lot of young people tend to overuse some of the energy drinks, which is one of the leading causes of palpitations,” says Swadia.  Pencil in some time for self-care to reduce stress levels and lower your chances of palpitations.  Aim to drink six to eight glasses of water a day and get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, too.

Next time you get heart palpitations, try this
If you feel your heart pounding, use these strategies:

• Relax: Lower your stress levels by using relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and deep breathing. These techniques can help bring your heart rate back to normal.
• Reach for some water: Dehydration can cause a heart palpitation, so if your heart flutters, chug some H20.
• Workout: Exercise keeps your heart healthy and increases your heart rate, which can prevent palpitations. Try a brisk walk around your neighborhood.
• Cough: Vagal maneuvers, such as coughing or throwing cold water on your face, can stimulate the vagus nerve which helps regulate heart rate. Talk to your doctor first before performing vagal maneuvers at home.

"While heart palpitations often cause a lot of discomfort to the patient, most of the time they aren’t dangerous," says Swadia. If you can perform those at-home tips to temporarily relieve discomfort, then you can always decide if you want to see a cardiologist. 

***Taken from ShareCare here.

Are You At Risk For A Cardiac Event?

Surprising Signs Your Heart Health Is at Risk

Watch out for these subtle signs and symptoms of heart problems.

By Beth Ward

The image is a familiar one—a man hunched over, clutching his chest in pain. It’s the universal symbol for a heart attack. This chest pain, along with shortness of breath and pain radiating down the arm, are often considered the standard symptoms of a major cardiac event.

But there are more subtle symptoms of heart disease—a condition that includes heart attack, stroke and congestive heart failure.

Learn more about six lesser-known signs and symptoms.

1. Sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea, which almost always causes loud snoring, isn’t just a noisy habit that can keep your partner up at night, according to cardiologist Suman Kuppahally, MD, of Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. Snoring, whether it’s moderate or severe, can damage your heart as you struggle to breathe while sleeping.

“Sleep apnea causes a drop in oxygen in the blood several times during the night and that causes stress to the body,” Dr. Kuppahally says. “If left untreated, it can lead to cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, arrhythmias, heart attack and heart failure.”

If you snore, Kuppahally suggests consulting a sleep specialist right away to begin treatment.

2. Dizziness
Dizziness or lightheadedness may indicate that your brain isn’t getting enough blood, says Kuppahally, and it can be a subtle sign of a heart attack, especially in women, who often have atypical symptoms. Dizziness could also indicate an arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) or heart damage.

If you’re experiencing dizziness along with other heart symptoms, get to the emergency room as quickly as possible.

3. Sweating
A good workout isn’t the only thing that can cause you to break a sweat. If you start sweating suddenly—what’s often described as a “cold sweat”—while experiencing other symptoms, it could mean you’re having a heart attack.

“Sweating more than usual, without exertion, is a sign of stress to the body,” says Kuppahally. “If sweating is associated with discomfort in the chest, arm, neck or jaw or with shortness of breath, it should be taken seriously as a sign of coronary artery disease,” and you should get to the hospital immediately.

4. Fatigue or exhaustion
Most of us can feel worn out after a long day of dealing with work, kids and a mile-long to-do list. However, extreme, unexplained fatigue—the kind that leaves you too beat to climb a short flight of stairs or carry your groceries—could also be a warning sign of something more serious, like a heart attack or heart disease, especially in women.

One study published in the journal Circulation found that more than 70 percent of women experience unusual fatigue in the month leading up to their heart attacks. Some women ignored it as a symptom of a serious heart problem. And women who tried repeatedly to seek medical care often had this symptom misdiagnosed or dismissed by their physicians.

5. Erectile dysfunction
Heart disease and erectile dysfunction (ED) may both be caused by poor circulation, but problems in the bedroom usually occur first. This means that ED could be alerting you to current or future heart disease.

“ED and heart attack are both caused by plaque build-up in the arteries,” says Kuppahally. “Also, there’s a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease in patients with ED. And patients with heart failure or coronary artery disease frequently have other medical problems, such as diabetes and hypertension, which can cause ED.”

6. Tooth loss
Tooth loss can be a sign of poor oral hygiene, but it may also signal a heart problem. A 2018 study presented at an American Heart Association meeting suggests middle-aged adults (ages 45 to 69) who experience tooth loss might have a higher risk for coronary heart disease.  

Participants who lost two or more teeth during the eight-year follow-up were at 16 percent greater risk of developing heart disease than those with no tooth loss. The connection between heart disease and tooth loss is not entirely clear, but research suggests inflammation may play a role in both. Tooth loss may not be cause for immediate concern, but it’s a good opportunity to speak with a healthcare provider about ways to reduce your heart disease risk.

Other unusual signs and symptoms
Kuppahally also advises her patients to be on the lookout for a few other unfamiliar symptoms of heart disease:

• Heart failure: leg swelling when upright, mild cough and shortness of breath while lying down
• High blood pressure: undiagnosed sleep apnea and early morning headaches
• Heart disease: depression and anxiety

To keep your heart in tip-top shape, stick with a healthy diet, get daily exercise, keep stress levels low and get adequate sleep.

And if you do think you’re experiencing a cardiac event, don’t wait. Call 911 immediately.

Taken from sharecare here

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