We will learn about the most significant facts about heart palpitations in this article, the most significant of which is: When are heart palpitations dangerous?
Tachycardia, also known as heart palpitations, is one of the most typical symptoms that can make a person anxious and stressed out. When are heart palpitations dangerous? is the question we'll address in this article. How can it be mitigated?
When is heart palpitations dangerous?
Heart palpitations are a medical condition in which there are 100 or more heartbeats per minute. If these palpitations last for more than 30 seconds, it is necessary to conduct an emergency review. This is because this palpitation does not give the heart enough time to fill its chambers with blood before contracting again, which may affect blood flow to the rest of the body’s organs, and thus threaten life.
Heart palpitations may also be accompanied by other symptoms, all of which call for an immediate trip to the doctor, including:
- Difficulty and shortness of breath .
- Fainting.
- Feeling dizzy or dizzy.
- Feeling chest pain for a few minutes.
What are the complications of continued heart palpitations?
Prior to mentioning any complications, it is important to note that they all depend on a number of variables, including:
- The severity and duration of the tachycardia .
- tachycardia type.
- The person's health status.
- Any other heart diseases.
As for the most common complications, they are:
- Blood clots: These clots may make heart attacks or strokes more likely.
- Heart failure: If heart palpitations are not treated, they may cause the heart muscle to become overworked and fail.
- Heart palpitations can cause a person to faint, which increases the risk of falls and serious injuries.
- Sudden death: the possibility increases with tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
What is the normal heart rate?
The normal heart rate varies with age; it is estimated to be between 70 and 100 beats per minute in children between the ages of 6 and 15 and between 60 and 100 beats per minute in adults over the age of 18.
However, there is a maximum heart rate that can be achieved when making an effort, and it can be determined using a straightforward equation, which is as follows:
(220 - person's age = highest expected heart rate)
According to the previous equation, a 40-year-old person can expect their heart rate to reach a maximum of 180 beats per minute under maximal exertion.
How can the heartbeat be measured?
According to Harvard Medical School, the heartbeat can be counted using the fingers only, either from the wrist or from the neck area, and this helps in knowing the patient’s condition and determining its severity. Regarding the techniques, they are as follows:
- Wrist region: Use your index and middle fingers to gently press down on the opposite wrist, just below the base of your thumb.
- The side of the neck just below the jawbone should be gently pressed.
- Both methods count the pulses over a period of 15 seconds and multiply the total by four so the patient can determine his heart rate.
What are the causes of heart palpitations?
There are numerous factors that may contribute to this imbalance in the electrical impulses that naturally regulate the heart rate, including:
- Anemia.
- Drink large amounts of caffeine -containing drinks .
- Drinking alcoholic beverages.
- High temperature.
- Low or high blood pressure .
- imbalance of some components necessary for the transmission of electrical impulses
- Side effects of some medicines.
- Hyperthyroidism.
- smoking.
- Being stressed or feeling afraid.
- Taking some stimulant drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
How can deal with heart palpitations?
It is generally accepted that the cause, the patient's age, and his medical condition all play a role in how heart palpitations are treated.
As for the goal of treatment, it is to slow down the heart rate and reduce the chance of developing any complications, in addition to trying to reduce the chances of heart palpitations again in the future. Here, it should be noted that only a specialist doctor will be supervising the treatment.
While certain actions can be taken to temporarily reduce heart palpitations in emergency situations, they cannot take the place of a trip to the doctor. These actions include:
- pressure on the abdomen
- Wash the patient's face with cold water .
- Mild pressure on the carotid artery in the neck area.
- Light pressure on the eyeballs while closing them.
- Instruct the patient to blow while the nostrils are closed.
Can heart palpitations be prevented?
Maintaining good health and lowering one's risk of developing heart disease are the best ways to prevent heart palpitations, and if one does develop the condition, one must seek treatment promptly and faithfully.
Here are some measures that help prevent heart palpitations:
- Engage in regular exercise and consume a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- regulating and keeping cholesterol and blood pressure within the normal range.
- Stay away from smoking.
- Avoid taking alcoholic beverages, stimulants and narcotic drugs.
- Precaution should be taken when using over-the-counter medications, especially cold and cough remedies because they may cause heart palpitations.
- Reducing the intake of caffeine-containing drinks.
- Avoid sources of stress.
- Do periodic check-ups regularly.