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Suggest Treatment For Palpitations

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Posted on Mon, 21 Nov 2016
Question: I have fast heart beat and pulse. 100/minutes.
this has never happenned before just in the last 7 days once at night a week ago and today it is just beating fast.

I 1m 179 pound and in a week i lost about 5 pound on a diet.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
My answer as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!

Regarding your concern, I would explain that your symptoms could be related to a cardiac arrhythmia.

From the other hand diets can cause several changes in the body, leading to increased anxiety or electrolytes imbalances (even though you have been taking a lot of water and electrolytes). Anxiety and electrolyte imbalance can trigger a faster heart rate and skipped heart beats.

For this reason, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician and performing some tests:

- a resting ECG
- a chest X ray study
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance
- complete blood count for anemia.

An ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring would help examine your heart rhythm trends during the day, possible register these episodes during the night, thus giving more information on a possible cardiac arrhythmia.

You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues.

Kind regards,

Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (8 hours later)
What is cardiac arrhythmia?
and what is ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG.

another question: am i in danger?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (30 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

Regarding your concern, I would explain that your symptoms do not indicate any serious medical disorder.

A cardiac arrhythmia means an irregular heart rate, which could be caused by several causes (cardiac or metabolic causes).

An Ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring, also called Holter monitoring, is a test which consists in holding a portable ECG device on your body for 24-48 hours and it registers your heart rhythm during this period. Then the doctor can analyze the data registered in the machine and come into more exact conclusions about your heart rhythm.

I would recommend these tests, only if your troubled persist in the next days.

Kind regards,

Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Ilir Sharka (51 minutes later)
Thank you! i appreciate your answer!

My other concern is that the fast heart beat does not let me fall asleep or stay asleep. And less I sleep the worse it gets. i took some magnesium last night and It definitely helped.

Is there any other things that might be able to handle the situation so i can sleep better. (medical drugs are not so good for me as i have not taken any the last 30 years and I get all the side effects possible). What do you suggest?
May be go running and just speed it up even more so i break through this?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I would recommend as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

I would recommend taking a benzodiazepine like zolpidem 10mg. It can help you sleep. You can take it for up to two weeks ( because it can cause addiction and tolerance if taken longer), half a tablet or an entire tablet before sleeping.

If your situation improves, I would recommend taking melatonin 5mg as a long term treatment for your sleep disturbances, because your sleep problems and anxiety may be the cause of all this clinical scenario.

Regulating your sleeping hygiene would also help (go to sleep at the same time every day, avoid straining physical activity before sleep, reduce caffeine intake especially before sleeping).

Sleep disorders and anxiety are the main adverse effect of diets.

Anyway, if the rapid heart rate persists, I would advise performing the above mentioned tests including the Holter monitoring.

Hope you will find this answer helpful!

Best wishes,

Dr. Iliri
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Ilir Sharka

Cardiologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 9536 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Palpitations

Brief Answer: My answer as follows: Detailed Answer: Hello! Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM! Regarding your concern, I would explain that your symptoms could be related to a cardiac arrhythmia. From the other hand diets can cause several changes in the body, leading to increased anxiety or electrolytes imbalances (even though you have been taking a lot of water and electrolytes). Anxiety and electrolyte imbalance can trigger a faster heart rate and skipped heart beats. For this reason, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician and performing some tests: - a resting ECG - a chest X ray study - blood electrolytes for possible imbalance - complete blood count for anemia. An ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring would help examine your heart rhythm trends during the day, possible register these episodes during the night, thus giving more information on a possible cardiac arrhythmia. You should discuss with your doctor on the above issues. Kind regards, Dr. Iliri