Heart Palpitations
Heart Palpitations
A heart palpitation is really a mild electrical malfunction. Your heart has its own electrical system. Each electrical impulse triggers a heartbeat. If something interferes with the transmission of these electrical impulses, an irregular heartbeat may occur. You’ll feel a thumping, pounding, racing, or fluttering sensation in your chest. Or you’ll feel as if your heart skipped a beat. But just as quickly as your heart gets off-track, it usually goes back to normal.
Other than the knowledge that your heart is beating to a different drum, heart palpitations are typically nothing to worry about. “Often, there’s no treatment necessary. Rarely is it very serious,” says Gary Francis, M.D., director of the coronary intensive care unit at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
If you have the rare and occasional heart palpitation, assume that you’re fine, he adds. If your heartbeat does skip off tempo, you can take a few measures to make it return to its normal rhythm. You can also take a few steps to keep your drum on a steady beat in the first place.
Try This First
Start coughing. Cough during your next heart palpitation episode. The force of the cough will sometimes get a heart back on its regular track, says Robert March, M.D., associate professor of cardiovascular surgery at Rush-Presbyterian–St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. “A good cough can break the pattern of the palpitation.”
Other Wise Ways
Take a seat. When your heart thumps a little offbeat, sit down, says Michael A. Brodsky, M.D., professor of medicine in cardiology at the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center. Prop your feet up if you can, he adds. Take a few moments to relax and let your heartbeat get back to normal.
Chill out. Splash your face with cold water (not ice water) during your next heart palpitation. The cold water may activate a part of the nervous system that could return your heart rate to normal, Dr. Brodsky says. You can also sip cool water slowly. That may also help stop the palpitations.
Slow your breathing. Many heart palpitations are brought on by stress or anxiety, warns Dr. March. Take a deep breath, and then slowly exhale. Keep repeating this slowly until you calm down. Just the act of relieving tension may bring your heart back in step.
Pump up the pressure. A move called Valsalva’s maneuver will derail heart palpitations, explains Dr. Francis. Pinch your nose and close your mouth. Then blow out while keeping your nose and mouth shut. The built-up pressure in your nose and mouth can force your heart back into its normal rhythm, Dr. Francis says.
Get a little help from a friend. While many heart palpitations are temporary and not life threatening, it’s a good idea to call over a friend, loved one, or neighbor during an episode. “That person can sit with you and talk to calm you down while waiting for something to happen,” suggests Dr. Brodsky. Your friend could get emergency help if it turns out you need it, he says. And if you don’t need medical attention, a friend does a great job of calming you down, which could help offset the palpitations.
Stick with the nonalcoholic brew. For some people, a cocktail sends their hearts aflutter. If you notice heart palpitations after drinking alcohol, put the drinks away, Dr. Brodsky advises.
| Managing Your Meds Although most heart palpitations are mild enough that they don’t require treatment, some people need medication. The irony is that some medications given to treat heart palpitations, such as digitalis compounds like digoxin (Lanoxin), actually cause palpitations in some patients, says Gary Francis, M.D., director of the coronary intensive care unit at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Other drugs that may cause an irregular heartbeat include: • Bronchodilators like terbutaline (Brethine) • Prescription and over-the-counter decongestants containing pseudoephedrine (Drixoral) or phenylpropanolamine (Dura-Gest) • Prescription antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) and astemizole (Hismanal) Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned that any medications you’re taking might be causing palpitations. |
Some people may experience heart palpitations after one drink, others after a few more, and some people may not have a problem at all. “Everyone has his own threshold,” Dr. Brodsky adds. So it’s important to remember what your threshold is, and don’t go over it, he advises.
Hold back on the coffee. Keep your coffee-cup count to a minimum, Dr. Brodsky says. For some people, coffee or caffeinated products such as soda or chocolate cause heart palpitations, and it may take no more than a smidgen of caffeine to start the arrhythmia. But that’s not true for everyone. “Some people smell the coffee and experience heart palpitations,” notes Dr. Brodsky. “Others can drink 15 cups a day and have no problems.”
Put down the cigarettes. Nicotine can sometimes cause an irregular heartbeat, Dr. March says. For the overall health of your heart as well as for control of heart palpitations, stop smoking.
