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Heart Skipping Beats After Meals. What Could Be The Reason?

Posted on Tue, 30 Apr 2013

Question: Wondering what may cause heart to skip beats when standing or from getting up in kneeled positions, also beats hard after meals for about 2 hours...thanks, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (3 hours later)

Hi friend,
Welcome to Health Care Magic

In many conditions, very often, it is easier to manage than find out why!

Skipped beats may have several causes - you have no stated your age, gender, personal habits or co-morbidity, family history and so on...

On getting up and standing, the heart has to pump more (achieved by volume or rate) – for it has to work against gravity / pooling(venous) occurs below and constriction(arterial) above...
After a meal, again the work is increased / more blood to intestine for digestion...
The activity may simply be drawing the attention / not causing it?

Anaemia / Anxiety / Alcohol / Thyroid / Tobacco (smoking) / Caffeine (too much coffee, cola) / Medicines like Phenylephrine used for ‘cold’; Salbutamol used for asthma / Illicit ‘drugs’ like Amphetamine are notorious to cause abnormal beats.... At times, abnormal nerve paths in the heart (bypass tracts) are responsible!

THE FIRST STEP IS TO SEE A CARDIOLOGIST / Irregular heart beats need to be DOCUMENTED by ElectroCardioGram (EKG). Standard EKG records the electrical activity of the heart, for a few seconds. It can detect the arrhythmia occurring during that time only. If the episode occurs randomly or precipitated by a specific activity like exercise, one needs Holter or event monitor. Holter records for days; Event monitor for weeks / Holter records continuously / Event monitor only at certain times .

ECHOcardiogram / TMT (Treadmill exercise ECG) / LABORATORY work-up – may all be necessary for further assessment and assistance.
The treating doctor may suggest them depending on need, based on his assessment of the situation.

Take care
Wishing speedy recovery
God bless
Good luck

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

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (12 hours later)

Thanks for your answer, I am 31 year old male, workout regular don't smoke or drink , also experience anxiety, blood pressure is normal, resting heart rate around 60, don't have any family history of heart problems that I'm aware of, could low magnesium or vitiam levels cause that too? Thanks

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (47 minutes later)

Yes, they can...
Potassium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin D levels can easily be checked...
But for anxiety, your personal history is excellent...

Regards...

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

Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (4 hours later)

What are systems of a valve problem in the heart? Like sudden skips in heartbeats when laying still , or would that be electrical problem?

Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (2 hours later)

Valve problems can cause symptoms, depending on its location and nature - like reduced blood flow, heart failure, Infection, rarely arrhythmia.
Arrhythmia is an electrical problem - impulse arising from unusual place or travelling in anomalous tracts. Mechanical problems may lead to electrical problems and the converse can also happen...

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

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