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Flu Like Symptoms For Over 3 Weeks. Diagnosed As A
Question: Flu like symptoms for over 3 weeks. Diagnosed as a virus. Heartbeat hit 104 2 weeks ago resulting in an ER visit. EKG, lung x-ray, blood tests all seemed OK, and heart racing quickly subsided. Now, flu like symptoms aren't as bad, but still there. Concern is every time I walk, or even stand up, my heart rate increases to 100+, and occasionally hits 120+. After I sit down, it quickly returns to 80's. I'm a 59 year old, otherwise healthy woman.
Brief Answer:
Please see detailed answer.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and Welcome to Ask a Doctor service. I have read your question and here is my advice.
Sorry to hear of your illness and it's good that you are on way to health.
Rise in pulse may have many reasons. I will explain them, most of them are not serious or worrying, however we should be aware of the few serious conditions that need urgent attention. If you feel chest pain or shortness of breath, or fainting or dizziness, or sweating during the rise in Your HR, or if heart beats are irregular, then we recommend to see a heart doctor for proper assessment and management on urgent basis.
Otherwise high rate is mostly not serious. The following may cause it.
1. People who don't do regular exercises, do get fast heart rates with little exertion.
2.certain foods like choklate, coffee may cause fast heart rate.
3.anemia, and dehydration, drugs may also cause high heart rate.
4.in your context, it seems like you suffer from a condition called, in-appropriate sinus tachycardia. This generally occurs after viral infections. In this condition the heart responds more then needed. Like heart rate rises en every person with exertion, but in this condition the rise is in inappropriately high.If no symptoms, it mostly does not need treatment.
Anxiety and stress may also cause rise in HR.
So to conclude it, a heart rate of 120 (up to 100 is normal) is not very high, if you don't feel unwell with it. This may sequle of your recent illness. In. Context of your good lab work I am hopeful it would be settling in little time. However if you feel symptoms (as described above, or if you feel unwell) with it, or if symptoms persisted, then it's necessary to be evaluated.
Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions or concerns.
Kind Regards Dr Mahboob Ur Rahman
Please see detailed answer.
Detailed Answer:
Hi and Welcome to Ask a Doctor service. I have read your question and here is my advice.
Sorry to hear of your illness and it's good that you are on way to health.
Rise in pulse may have many reasons. I will explain them, most of them are not serious or worrying, however we should be aware of the few serious conditions that need urgent attention. If you feel chest pain or shortness of breath, or fainting or dizziness, or sweating during the rise in Your HR, or if heart beats are irregular, then we recommend to see a heart doctor for proper assessment and management on urgent basis.
Otherwise high rate is mostly not serious. The following may cause it.
1. People who don't do regular exercises, do get fast heart rates with little exertion.
2.certain foods like choklate, coffee may cause fast heart rate.
3.anemia, and dehydration, drugs may also cause high heart rate.
4.in your context, it seems like you suffer from a condition called, in-appropriate sinus tachycardia. This generally occurs after viral infections. In this condition the heart responds more then needed. Like heart rate rises en every person with exertion, but in this condition the rise is in inappropriately high.If no symptoms, it mostly does not need treatment.
Anxiety and stress may also cause rise in HR.
So to conclude it, a heart rate of 120 (up to 100 is normal) is not very high, if you don't feel unwell with it. This may sequle of your recent illness. In. Context of your good lab work I am hopeful it would be settling in little time. However if you feel symptoms (as described above, or if you feel unwell) with it, or if symptoms persisted, then it's necessary to be evaluated.
Hope I have answered your query. Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions or concerns.
Kind Regards Dr Mahboob Ur Rahman
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
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