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What Causes Weird Sensations In Chest While Walking?

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Posted on Mon, 23 Feb 2015
Question: Yesterday while going for a walk i was about 45 minutes into my walk when i felt an extremely weird sensation in my chest. I have always had pacs but this did not feel like that at all. It felt more like my heart was
Suddenly very distressed and (i have tried for over a day now to figure out how to describe this and its hard) but it feels as if my heart was trying real hard to catch up or aomething It Pulsating very hard not fast or irregularly. Just hard and it nearly felt as if i could feel the blood flowing through. It lasted a good 4 or 5 seconds. It was very un nerving. I really thought i might be having a heart attack. What does that sound like?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Karen Steinberg (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Could be hyperdynamic heart

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for using Healthcare Magic. I have looked over your previous questions and your current concerns. The combination of having anxiety and PACS can create a lot of distress. You may be paying such close attention to your symptoms that your anxiety is actually creating them.

Hyperdynamic heart is just strong pounding of the heart and increased blood flow as a result, like the heart has been revved up by adrenaline. This could be caused by a variety of conditions, including anxiety, overproduction of adrenaline, hyperthyroidism, and other conditions.

Have you seen a cardiologist and had any studies done? PACs are generally benign, but anxiety related to them can be causing other heart symptoms.

If you haven't already, I suggest you see a cardiologist and have the following tests done:

Echocardiogram- this is an ultrasound procedure that can tell if you have any structural problems or valve problems in the heart that may be causing your symptoms

Holter or event monitoring- this is continual monitoring of your EKG while you are engaging in your normal activities. You keep a record of your symptoms and see if they correlate with anything on the EKG. Or you cause the machine to record when you are having symptoms. This will identify if you are having an arrhythmia, the type of arrhythmia it is, and if it is that which is causing your symptoms.

Imaging stress stress- this is an exercise stress test done in conjunction with an imaging study such as an echocardiogram that can see if you are having an arrhythmia with exercise and its direct effect on the heart function.

If all these are negative, then you can be sure that your heart is okay and it's most likely anxiety contributing to your symptoms. If something shows up, the appropriate treatment can be started.

Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Karen Steinberg (1 hour later)
Hi and thank you for getting back to me. In 2009 i wore a holter which caught pacs. And i had an echocardiogram done which showed a structurally normal heart. Since then i have had numerous ekgs the most recent being 2 weeks ago which have all been normal. I have an appt with a cardiologist scheduled for next week. I have just had quite a few new and strange sensations lately and am really worried they are warning me of cardiac arrest. I have had heartburn lately ( which is the burning feeling in throat) which i have never had before other than during pregnancy. I have always heard people confuse cardiac pain with heartburn. But im not sure if they mean the burning sensation or just chest pain. Sometimes i feel like i cant breathe good but im pretty sure thats my anxiety. But the strange flip flops, flutters, and strange heart feelings really worry me. I usually do fine when exercising (walking. Yesterday was the first time i have had this happen while exercising. But i did walk faster and longer than i normally do. It just seems like the last month and a half i have experienced different types of events. Other than whatever happened yesterday things have been better this week. I always seem to have flare ups with palps the week before and during my period. I just cant shake the feeling that my heart is at risk for a deadly arrythmia. Im not really worried about blockage because my bp runs low normal and my blood work showed normal triglycerides and cholesterol levels. But i do worry about electrical issues)
doctor
Answered by Dr. Karen Steinberg (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Consider repeat Holter

Detailed Answer:
The normal echo is reassuring. I agree you are unlikely to have a blockage. I understand your concern about electrical issues.

Talk to your cardiologist about your concerns regarding a deadly arrhythmia. You might consider having a new Holter since it's been 6 years from the last one and your symptoms to be different. Your cardiologist can decide whether electrophysiological studies of your heart might be helpful to rule out any potential arrhythmias. You might require a stress test to rule out other problems that can induce arrhythmias, such as coronary spasm. Ask the cardiologist about these and be sure all your concerns are addressed.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Karen Steinberg

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1981

Answered : 824 Questions

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What Causes Weird Sensations In Chest While Walking?

Brief Answer: Could be hyperdynamic heart Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for using Healthcare Magic. I have looked over your previous questions and your current concerns. The combination of having anxiety and PACS can create a lot of distress. You may be paying such close attention to your symptoms that your anxiety is actually creating them. Hyperdynamic heart is just strong pounding of the heart and increased blood flow as a result, like the heart has been revved up by adrenaline. This could be caused by a variety of conditions, including anxiety, overproduction of adrenaline, hyperthyroidism, and other conditions. Have you seen a cardiologist and had any studies done? PACs are generally benign, but anxiety related to them can be causing other heart symptoms. If you haven't already, I suggest you see a cardiologist and have the following tests done: Echocardiogram- this is an ultrasound procedure that can tell if you have any structural problems or valve problems in the heart that may be causing your symptoms Holter or event monitoring- this is continual monitoring of your EKG while you are engaging in your normal activities. You keep a record of your symptoms and see if they correlate with anything on the EKG. Or you cause the machine to record when you are having symptoms. This will identify if you are having an arrhythmia, the type of arrhythmia it is, and if it is that which is causing your symptoms. Imaging stress stress- this is an exercise stress test done in conjunction with an imaging study such as an echocardiogram that can see if you are having an arrhythmia with exercise and its direct effect on the heart function. If all these are negative, then you can be sure that your heart is okay and it's most likely anxiety contributing to your symptoms. If something shows up, the appropriate treatment can be started. Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.