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What Causes Pounding Heart Beat?
Question: I woke up 25mins ago with a heavy heart pounding and up to now already 30mins past still is, pls adv what to do.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would recommend checking your blood pressure values, as a possible orthostatic hypotension could be the reason of your pounding heart.
It is not rare when after getting out of bed and standing upright from a sitting or recumbent position some degree of a relative blood pressure lowering may trigger secondary fast and pounding heart beating.
This effect is more pronounced in more aged individuals, especially in situations of a relative dehydration or with concomitant cardiovascular therapies (diuretics or other antihypertensive drugs).
I recommend to check your BP values in the sitting (or supine) and afterward in the standing upright position. If the systolic BP decreases by at least 20 mmHg or diastolic by 10 mmHg withing minutes, then orthostatic hypotension could be the reason.
I would advise taking plenty of drinks (fresh juices, water) for achieving a good hydration.
In case that unpleasant feeling keeps persisting or relapses again, I recommend consulting your attending doctor for a careful physical exam and some additional tests:
- complete blood count,
- fasting blood glucose,
- blood electrolytes level,
- BUN & creatinine,
- thyroid hormones level
and reviewing an appropriate therapy if necessary.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
In case of any further uncertainties, feel free to ask me again!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would recommend checking your blood pressure values, as a possible orthostatic hypotension could be the reason of your pounding heart.
It is not rare when after getting out of bed and standing upright from a sitting or recumbent position some degree of a relative blood pressure lowering may trigger secondary fast and pounding heart beating.
This effect is more pronounced in more aged individuals, especially in situations of a relative dehydration or with concomitant cardiovascular therapies (diuretics or other antihypertensive drugs).
I recommend to check your BP values in the sitting (or supine) and afterward in the standing upright position. If the systolic BP decreases by at least 20 mmHg or diastolic by 10 mmHg withing minutes, then orthostatic hypotension could be the reason.
I would advise taking plenty of drinks (fresh juices, water) for achieving a good hydration.
In case that unpleasant feeling keeps persisting or relapses again, I recommend consulting your attending doctor for a careful physical exam and some additional tests:
- complete blood count,
- fasting blood glucose,
- blood electrolytes level,
- BUN & creatinine,
- thyroid hormones level
and reviewing an appropriate therapy if necessary.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
In case of any further uncertainties, feel free to ask me again!
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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