Heart palpitations: causes and treatment

Have you felt your heartbeat intensely? When the heart rhythm takes place irregularly, we speak of arrhythmias. Anyone can experience strong palpitations throughout their life, but they are not always related to some condition. This change in heart rate can occur in two ways: bradycardia, which involves a languid pulse, or tachycardia, in which the pulse is high-speed. The latter is usually responsible for us to feel the heartbeat with greater intensity.

In most cases, it occurs due to stress, anxiety, or excessive consumption of stimulant substances such as coffee. In other cases, some conditions may be responsible for perceiving the heartbeat more strongly, and it will be necessary to go to the doctor. However, sometimes heart palpitations can occur without increasing or decreasing heart rate.

At FastlyHealwe, explain some of the reasons why your heartbeat can feel very strong.

Heart palpitations

We refer to heart palpitations when speaking of a solid and fast heartbeat. In these cases, it is common to feel that the heart beats more intensely despite not making any physical effort or doing sports. This fact can disturb us the most since we think of heart palpitations for no apparent reason and without knowing the causes. However, feeling the heartbeat more intensely can be related to different causes, both external and internal, that alter the heart rate.

Some people manifest palpitations when lying down when waking up or during the night, called nocturnal pulses, making it difficult to fall asleep.

External causes of heart palpitations

In most cases, feeling a powerful heartbeat responds to different causes that we can combat.

• Anxiety and stress . When we feel stressed, our heart rate increases, and, as a consequence, our heart may beat faster, experiencing palpitations. Additionally, long-term anxiety and stress can lead to other problems such as hair loss, constipation, and even mood swings.
• Drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. These products contain harmful substances that alter our body, increase heart rate, decrease oxygen and clog arteries, considerably increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Medications. Some drugs have heart palpitations as side effects and can cause arrhythmias. In this case, you should go to the doctor to try to replace the medicine.
• We are stimulating drinks. Coffee, tea, and some soft drinks increase the heart rate, and too much of them can make our heart beat faster, even when we go to bed.
• Exercise . Feeling a strong heartbeat is common when we do sports. Some people are more likely to experience heart palpitations during sports, and it is essential to see a doctor when accompanied by other symptoms such as dyspnea or chest pain.

Conditions that cause heart palpitations

On other occasions, a powerful heartbeat in the ear can be a symptom of cardiovascular problems considered more severe. It can pose a real risk to health in the long run, so we should go to the doctor as soon as possible.

• Arrhythmias . Arrhythmias are irregularities in the heart rate caused by hormonal changes or ischemic heart disease. When the heart palpitations have a high speed, we refer to tachycardia, while when the rate is low, we speak of bradycardia. An elevated heart rate can strain the heart, and a decrease can cause oxygen deficiency.
• Hyperthyroidism . An excess in the activity of the thyroid gland can cause a lot of secretion of hormones that alter some functions of the organism. When this happens, palpitations and tachycardias can appear, in addition to other symptoms, such as hyperactivity, insomnia, poor concentration, nausea, and dizziness.
• Heart Disease . It is a disease that reduces the amount of blood flow to the heart due to a blockage in the arteries. This pathology is divided into myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, so the symptoms vary depending on the one suffered. However, heart palpitations are a symptom that can alert you to this condition.
• Hypoglycemia . Another reason your heartbeat may feel very strong is an increase in blood sugar levels. It is more common in people with diabetes, although it also occurs due to alcohol consumption or infections. Some of the symptoms of this condition are palpitations, rapid heartbeat, and anxiety.
• Abnormal heart valve. Some changes in the valves of the heart cause a reduction in the amount of blood that reaches the heart muscle, so it pumps with more force to replace the blood insufficiency.

Tips to improve cardiovascular health

There are different risk factors for cardiovascular diseases that can endanger our health. An excellent way to take care of our hearts is by taking into account the following aspects:

• Power . A varied and balanced diet, low in fat and salt and rich in vitamins and minerals, will contribute to proper cardiovascular health. Too much food with saturated fat and salt increases cholesterol and blood pressure, so the heart must make an extra effort, and the fact that cholesterol increases the risk of having a heart attack.
• Alcohol and tobacco . Quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake will also help keep your heart from pounding. When we drink alcohol, our heart rate increases, so we likely suffer heart palpitations at night or when we get up.
• Cut down on caffeinated beverages. Both coffee, tea, and some soft drinks contain stimulant substances that increase blood pressure and make you more likely to experience tachycardia.
• Exercise . Regular physical activity also benefits cardiovascular health. Also, relaxation exercises such as yoga or meditation are an excellent way to avoid stress and anxiety and reduce possible damage to the heart.

When to see a doctor

If your heartbeat feels very strong, you may have a more severe condition that requires medical attention. In these cases, heart palpitations are often accompanied by other symptoms, and detecting them can help know when to go to the doctor:

• Chest pain can respond to various cardiovascular problems such as angina pectoris or damage to the heart’s arteries due to clots that obstruct average blood circulation, causing overexertion of the heart.
• See your doctor if your abnormal heartbeats are more than 6 per minute or in groups of 3 or more.
• Shortness of breath
• If you have other cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
• Dizziness or dizziness
• Excessive sweating

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to My heartbeat feels very strong , we recommend that you enter our category of Blood, heart and circulation .

Alivia Nyhan

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.