Your heart may skip a beat for a lot of reasons, some of which are not serious. This article explains what skipping or ‘heart palpitations’ are and what to do if they happen to you.
Heart Palpitations Come in Different Forms
Heart palpitations can feel different than your regular heartbeat. For some people, they might feel a sensation that their heart is racing, pounding harder inside their chest, or fluttering irregularly. Sometimes palpitations feel like your heart skips a beat and other times it feels like there’s an extra beat.
Most cases of palpitations are nothing to worry about. They’re usually brief and go away on their own. But sometimes they can signal a more serious condition, like a faulty valve or heart disease. So if you experience them frequently, it’s important to talk to your doctor.
What Causes Heart Palpitations?
Skipping of heartbeat can have many different causes. It might be because you exercised too strenuously, consumed too much caffeine, or smoked cigarettes. Dehydration, stress, and anxiety are also potential causes of heart palpitations, as well as low blood sugar, thyroid problems, anemia, hormonal changes, etc.
Over-the-counter and prescription medications and nutritional supplements can also make your heart skip a beat.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Heart palpitations can be a sign of a serious heart condition. If you have palpitations and any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention right away:
– Dizziness or light-headedness
– Loss of consciousness
– Weakness
– Confusion
– Excessive sweating
-Trouble breathing
– Pain or pressure in your chest
– Neck or upper back Pain
– Pain in your jaw
– Pain your arms
Seek help immediately if your resting pulse is more than 100 beats per minute. Any of these symptoms could be signs of a serious condition.
Heart Palpitations Could Be a Sign of a Potential Threat
If your palpitations don’t cause any other problems and you’ve been to your cardiologist recently, you can still take steps to relieve and prevent them. Once you understand your triggers, you can avoid them by cutting back on caffeine or quitting smoking, etc.
Heart palpitations can be alarming and sometimes frightening, but there are ways to help manage them. Practicing deep breathing and other relaxation techniques may help, especially if your palpitations are caused by stress or anxiety. Keeping your electrolytes balanced may also help reduce them. You can boost electrolytes in your body by eating foods rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Love Your Heart
There are a few things you can do to keep your heart healthy and reduce the likelihood of experiencing heart palpitations.
First, stay hydrated and get regular exercise. Exercise is a great way to improve your cardiovascular health and reduce stress, both of which can contribute to palpitations. Additionally, make some healthy lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking and eating healthier foods.
If you have unexplained heart palpitations, it’s a good idea to schedule a consultation with one of our expert cardiologists at Cardiac and Vascular Consultants in Florida so that they can guide you towards the path to better health.
Call us at +1 352-633-1966 to arrange your visit at any of our Central Florida locations.
