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Suggest Remedy For Heart Palpitations Caused By Stress

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Posted on Wed, 25 Nov 2015
Question: Hi, I'm 26 years old. Been under a bit of stress lately and had an odd think happen. My heart rate I felt was faster than usual and I found it a bit hard to catch my breath or I was breathing quicker than usual.. I also felt for about 5 seconds a prominent beating. Not the regular heart beat but almost like it came out of my chest. It lasted 5 seconds and there was some irregularity in it as in time between the beats were longer or sometimes really fast. This happened to me about six months ago out of the blue, I don't think I was even stressed. I saw a doctor and he did blood tests which were all normal and ECG which was normal, but by the time I had gone to the doctor I was ok. This time around it was definitely after stress and I would feel the need to catch my breath and also had a bit of chest pain before and after that beating thing happened. I haven't had any extra caffeine and my thyroids are all good. Is this something I should get checked out? Could it even just be indigestion??
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (30 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Palpitation; premature ventricular contraction

Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thank you for your question and welcome to Health Care Magic. I understand your concern.

After carefully analyzing your description and your afe of 26 years old, my opinion as a cardiologist is that there is nothing to worry about. Of course, now I am going to go through to what happened.

The symptom you experienced is called a palpitation. Now, due to physical activity, psychological stress or normal hormonal changes to the human organism, everyone can experience this phenomenon. Even me. This is called a premature ventricular contraction or extrasystole or "skipped heart beat". It is an electrical impulse fired from an other part of heart muscle, rather than its natural pacemaker - the sinus node. When this happens, the sinus node quickly "takes over", produces a short pause, and then produces a normal, more forceful beat that can be felt by the person, and may be accompanied by shortness of breath and the sense of "heart jumping out from the throat". This is palpitation. As I mentioned above, this is a normal phenomenon, which happens to anybody. My opinion is that there is nothing to worry about. To be XXXXXXX it also happens to me sometimes. With a normal EKG, it is even more reassuring that there is nothing to worry about. It is worth to mention that if oesophagus is constantly irritated by reflux (acid content of stomach coming back), can also irritate the heart electrical system by proximity, regarding the last question you asked. My recommendation is that reflux should be treated, and this benign phenomenon will go away. So, still, nothing to worry about.

I hope I was helpful with my answer. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up questions. Please close the discussion and rate the answer, if you do not. I wish you a good health.

Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (55 minutes later)
Thank you for the answer. That is good to hear.

I have had the feeling of what I thought was palpitations before where I can feel a beat in my fingers (that was when I was given some pseudoephedrine for runny nose). This felt somehow different where I felt it in my chest. It was like a felt an extra few heartbeats or quickening of them for a few seconds..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Meriton Siqeca (3 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
hello again

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.

Pseudoephedrine is a derivative of ephedrine which may cause these benign, non-dangerous phenomena. I would go on and reassure you that there is nothing to worry about. Because, an EKG, in your age, would show everything, if there really was something wrong. These are phenomena that everyone experience. I can recommend you other tests, but I feel they would be mute, as they would, also, come back normal.

I hope this helps. Wish you all the best.

Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
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. Dr. Meriton Siqeca

Cardiologist

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 775 Questions

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Suggest Remedy For Heart Palpitations Caused By Stress

Brief Answer: Palpitation; premature ventricular contraction Detailed Answer: Hi. Thank you for your question and welcome to Health Care Magic. I understand your concern. After carefully analyzing your description and your afe of 26 years old, my opinion as a cardiologist is that there is nothing to worry about. Of course, now I am going to go through to what happened. The symptom you experienced is called a palpitation. Now, due to physical activity, psychological stress or normal hormonal changes to the human organism, everyone can experience this phenomenon. Even me. This is called a premature ventricular contraction or extrasystole or "skipped heart beat". It is an electrical impulse fired from an other part of heart muscle, rather than its natural pacemaker - the sinus node. When this happens, the sinus node quickly "takes over", produces a short pause, and then produces a normal, more forceful beat that can be felt by the person, and may be accompanied by shortness of breath and the sense of "heart jumping out from the throat". This is palpitation. As I mentioned above, this is a normal phenomenon, which happens to anybody. My opinion is that there is nothing to worry about. To be XXXXXXX it also happens to me sometimes. With a normal EKG, it is even more reassuring that there is nothing to worry about. It is worth to mention that if oesophagus is constantly irritated by reflux (acid content of stomach coming back), can also irritate the heart electrical system by proximity, regarding the last question you asked. My recommendation is that reflux should be treated, and this benign phenomenon will go away. So, still, nothing to worry about. I hope I was helpful with my answer. I am happy to help, if you have follow-up questions. Please close the discussion and rate the answer, if you do not. I wish you a good health. Best regards, Dr. Meriton