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What Causes Skipping Of Every Fourth Or Fifth Heartbeat?
My heart sometimes skip every fourth or fifth heartbeat, and the heartbeat that follows every skip is really hard, and sometimes it feels like im gasping for air. But when my heart skips every fourth or fifth beat, it s usually happens in events that last for only about 10 seconds or so, and lately these events has begun occuring about twice a day. Should i be consirned?
Fri, 21 Aug 2015
Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I carefully read your query.
The heart beat after a skipped beat (extrasystole - a heart beat generated from an another electrical area of the heart, not the natural generator of them (sinus node)) comes after a short pause post-extrasystole, and represents a more forceful heart beat, which can also be experienced by the patient (called palpitation) and accompanied with shortness of breath. If this is really an event that happens every four or five normal heartbeats, then
treatment to control them should be started. Also, I would recommend you to do an EKG, echocardiogram (to see whether this event is from an ischemic origin or not) and a 24-hour rhythm monitor (to see how often these phenomena happen). Extrasystoles can happen rarely also in physiological states, such as after vigorous physical activity, tiredness, psychological stress etc.
I hope I was of help. Take care. Best regards.
Dr. Meriton
The heart beat after a skipped beat (extrasystole - a heart beat generated from an another electrical area of the heart, not the natural generator of them (sinus node)) comes after a short pause post-extrasystole, and represents a more forceful heart beat, which can also be experienced by the patient (called palpitation) and accompanied with shortness of breath. If this is really an event that happens every four or five normal heartbeats, then
treatment to control them should be started. Also, I would recommend you to do an EKG, echocardiogram (to see whether this event is from an ischemic origin or not) and a 24-hour rhythm monitor (to see how often these phenomena happen). Extrasystoles can happen rarely also in physiological states, such as after vigorous physical activity, tiredness, psychological stress etc.
I hope I was of help. Take care. Best regards.
Dr. Meriton
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