Racing Heart: Love or Illness

     Normally, the human heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. However, the heart can beat faster during strenuous activities like exercise or in response to emotions. While a rapid heartbeat can sometimes be benign, if it occurs frequently and is accompanied by easy fatigue, dizziness, or fainting, these symptoms may signal an underlying cardiac arrhythmia.

If you experience these warning signs, it is crucial to consult a cardiologist promptly to identify the cause and receive appropriate treatment.

What Causes a Rapid Heartbeat?

A rapid or forceful heartbeat can stem from various factors, categorized as external or internal:

1. External Factors

     External influences that can cause a rapid heartbeat include physical exertion, stress, dietary intake, or certain medications/beverages that affect heart function. This is particularly common in individuals who regularly consume large amounts of coffee, energy drinks, or alcohol. Additionally, patients taking blood pressure medication may experience arrhythmias. Treatment for externally triggered palpitations focuses on addressing the root cause, such as adjusting medication dosages or avoiding specific foods/drinks, to restore normal heart function.

2. Internal Factors

Internal factors contributing to a rapid heartbeat can be further divided:

1) Physical Factors

• Age: As we age, the body naturally deteriorates. Studies indicate an increasing incidence of heart disease in working adults aged 30-40.
• Genetics: Individuals with a family history of heart disease face a higher risk.
• Gender: Men typically have a higher risk of heart disease than women.
• Coronary Artery Health: Healthy, flexible blood vessels efficiently manage waste. However, arterial degeneration can lead to blockages, increasing heart disease.
• Heart Structure: A history of infection or structural abnormalities of the heart can elevate heart disease risk.

Underlying Medical Conditions:

Several medical conditions can cause a rapid heartbeat:

• High Cholesterol: Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to plaque buildup in artery walls, causing blockages, which in turn can lead to a rapid heart rate and heart disease.
• High Blood Pressure: When blood pressure is elevated, the heart must work harder to pump blood against increased vascular resistance. This is a primary cause of thickened heart muscle, which can weaken the heart, form scar tissue, and disrupt the heart's electrical signals, leading to arrhythmias.
• Diabetes: Persistently high blood sugar levels can weaken blood vessel walls, causing coronary artery stenosis or blockages, and consequently, abnormal heart rhythms.
• Heart Disease: This includes acute myocardial infarction, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, valvular heart disease, and conditions involving electrical short circuits in the heart.
• Thyroid Disease: In hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), excessive hormone production accelerates metabolism and organ function, including the heart, leading to an abnormally rapid heart rate.
• Anemia: Individuals with anemia have lower hemoglobin levels in red blood cells, resulting in easy fatigue and potentially rapid heart rate and palpitations. This occurs as the anemic heart works harder to pump sufficient oxygen to body tissues.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD patients often experience complications like colds, flu, pneumonia, other respiratory infections, and chronic low blood oxygen. This leads to difficult and rapid breathing and an increased heart rate, which can elevate the risk of acute myocardial infarction.

2) Psychological Factors

     Psychological factors such as stress, depression, and anger can also contribute to cardiovascular risk and impact vascular elasticity.

When a Rapid Heartbeat Signals a Problem

     Given the diverse types of arrhythmias, symptoms vary among individuals. These can include palpitations, chest pain, fainting, persistent fatigue, or in some cases, blood clots in the heart. Arrhythmias can be brief, lasting only seconds, or prolonged, extending for minutes or hours. They often occur without warning. Therefore, if you suspect or feel any abnormality, seek immediate medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Risk Behaviors and Diagnosis

     Many may wonder about the specific risk behaviors associated with a rapid heartbeat and how medical diagnosis is conducted. We will delve into these details in the next article to provide a comprehensive understanding of rapid heart rate conditions and enable timely preparedness.