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Do Stress And Anxiety Cause Increased Heart Rate And Fluttering Feeling In Chest?

Posted on Thu, 5 Nov 2015

Question: My symptoms started Friday. I am under intense stress. I live in California and just got back from an unexpected week in XXXXXXX to visit my best friend who is extremely ill. We are buying our retirement home and now need to sell our current home. One of my grown children needs back surgery soon and my husband is very stressed at his job due to a regime change of last few weeks. That being said I returned from XXXXXXX Wednesday and woke up Friday am with my heart racing and off and on that feeling like a fish flopping in my chest. After it subsided I was worn out and weak. Yesterday I was ok. This am I woke up same symptoms and still having racing heart off and on. I am on BP meds that have managed BP for years. Is this anxiety related
How long does this process usually take

Answered by Dr. Lilit Baghdasaryan (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need to perform an ECG

Detailed Answer:
Dear Mrs,

I would advise you to see your doctor and perform an ECG. Patients with hypertension sometimes have some type of arrhythmia which called atrial fibrillation.
Of course palpitations can be benign tachicardia caused by stress but atrial fibrillation must be ruled out.

Hope I could help you

Wishing you good health

In case if further questions don't hesitate to ask

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar