Heart palpitations are a normal condition that occurs when you are feeling anxious or doing strenuous physical activity, such as exercising. These complaints will usually subside on their own. However, if the palpitations are accompanied by other complaints, this could be a sign of certain diseases.
Heart palpitations or palpitations are conditions when the heart is beating fast, even the sensation can be felt up to the throat or neck.
A normal adult heart rate ranges from 60–100 beats per minute. If your heart beats more than that number, you will feel a tight thump in your chest.
In certain conditions, palpitations can indeed be a sign of heart disease. Usually, this condition is accompanied by other complaints, such as chest pain that radiates to the shoulders or back, dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, shortness of breath, and weakness.
However, apart from heart disease, there are many conditions that can also cause palpitations.
Some Causes of Heart Pounding
Heart palpitations can be caused by many things, both mild and serious. One of the simple causes of heart palpitations is lifestyle, such as intense exercise, anxiety, lack of sleep or fatigue, smoking habits, and consumption of alcoholic beverages, caffeine, and spicy foods.
However, you need to be alert if the complaint of palpitations does not subside or is accompanied by other symptoms. This is because these complaints can be caused by a condition or disease, such as:
1. Anemia
Anemia is a condition when a person lacks red blood cells. Symptoms can include heart palpitations and are usually accompanied by fatigue, pale face, and shortness of breath.
2. Hyperthyroidism
This condition occurs when thyroid hormone levels rise too high and are overactive. In addition to feeling chest or heart palpitations, people with hyperthyroidism can also experience symptoms in the form of frequent anxiety, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, body weakness and shaking, and sweating a lot.
Some people who have this condition also experience atrial fibrillation, which is a condition when the heart rhythm is irregular.
3. Hypoglycemia
Normal blood sugar values are in the range between 70–140 mg/dL. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below their normal values.
People who experience this condition can experience symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, weakness, paleness, cold sweat, and tremors or body shaking.
4. Dehydration
Dehydration is a condition when the body lacks fluids. Dehydration can occur from not drinking or eating enough, extreme diets, or certain illnesses, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
When the body is dehydrated, the heart will work harder to circulate blood and fluids throughout the body. In addition to heart palpitations, dehydration can also cause other symptoms such as weakness, dry lips, dark colored urine, and not urinating at all.
5. Arrhythmia
Heart palpitations can also be a symptom of a serious heart problem, such as an arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a heart rhythm disorder in which the heart beats too fast, too slow, or irregularly, so it can't pump blood properly.
6. Fever
Fever is a condition when the body temperature rises to more than 38o Celsius. Fever is often caused by infection and inflammation. When you have a fever, a person can feel symptoms of palpitations, weakness, body aches, and dizziness.
7. Panic attacks
When experiencing a panic attack, a person will feel palpitations, cold sweats, fainting, weakness, nausea, and shaking. Sufferers can also feel helpless and unable to move.
Panic attacks are psychological disorders that make a person feel extremely anxious. This anxiety can appear suddenly or be triggered by certain things, such as stress, fear, or fatigue.
8. Hormonal changes in women
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause can also cause heart palpitations. This condition is generally harmless and only temporary.
In addition to the above conditions, palpitations can also be caused by the side effects of certain medications, such as high blood pressure medications, antibiotics, asthma medications, antihistamines, medications to treat thyroid disorders, and decongestants.
Heart palpitations that occur due to heart disease can be dangerous and need to be treated by a doctor immediately. If not treated immediately, heart disease can lead to dangerous complications, such as cardiac arrest or even death.
Meanwhile, other causes of palpitations are not always dangerous, as long as they go away on their own and do not cause other complaints. However, to determine the cause of the palpitations you are experiencing, you should consult a doctor.
How to Relieve Heart Pounding Complaints
In general, palpitations do not require special treatment if they occur only occasionally, do not last long, and are not accompanied by other complaints. However, when complaints of palpitations appear and are disturbing, you can try the following ways to relieve them:
- Avoid factors that trigger heart palpitations, such as nicotine in cigarettes, caffeinated drinks, energy drinks, or certain medications.
- Try to calm yourself down and relax more with relaxation methods, such as yoga and meditation. This method can also be done to deal with stress.
- Avoid taking illegal drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine.
- Drink enough water and eat regularly to prevent dehydration and hypoglycemia.
- Get enough rest.
A healthy lifestyle and controlled stress can make you more relaxed and calm, so it is not easy to experience heart palpitations.
However, if the palpitations occur frequently, do not go away, or are accompanied by other complaints, such as dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting, immediately consult a doctor for treatment.