Palpitations are when you feel your heart beating and skipping a beat. Heart palpitations are usually not serious and go away on their own. However, in some cases, they can indicate a serious medical problem.
So what exactly is heart palpitations? A palpitation is the feeling that your heart has skipped a beat or has an increased contraction. Your heart may feel like it's pounding. You can feel your heartbeat too much.
You may feel this sensation in your chest, neck or throat. Your heart rate may change during a heartbeat. As already mentioned, in most cases heart palpitations are harmless and go away on their own without treatment. But in other cases, heart palpitations can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.
Causes of heart palpitations
Palpitations can have many causes, including strong emotions, medications, and lifestyle factors. In some cases, they can be caused by a medical condition affecting the heart or another part of the body. One study estimated that 16 percent of doctor visits are for heart palpitations. They are also the second most common reason people see a cardiologist, a doctor who specializes in the heart.
Possible causes of palpitations can be lifestyle triggers such as excess caffeine or alcohol, smoking, lack of sleep, dehydration. Heart palpitations can also be caused by emotional or psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, fear, panic, shock. Narcotics and some medications, including cold and cough medicines, asthma inhalers and decongestants, etc.
Heart conditions can also be a cause of heart palpitations. For example, arrhythmia or irregular heart rhythm, abnormal heart valve function or heart disease such as congestive heart failure.
Other medical conditions that can cause palpitations include hormonal changes due to pregnancy or menopause, an overactive thyroid gland (also called hyperthyroidism), high fever, sleep apnea, electrolyte abnormalities, low oxygen or carbon dioxide in the blood, and loss of a lot of blood, in cases of anemia, hypoglycemia, etc.
When to seek immediate medical help
According to the National Health Service, there is no need for medical attention if heart palpitations go away quickly or occur only occasionally. However, if you experience heart palpitations and have already been diagnosed with heart disease, see your doctor immediately. Even if you don't have a diagnosed heart problem, see your doctor right away if you have heart problems palpitations are accompanied by other symptoms such as dizziness, weakness, dizziness, fainting, loss of consciousness, confusion, difficulty breathing, excessive sweating, pain, pressure or tightness in the chest, pain in the arms, neck, chest, jaw or upper back, the pulse rate at rest is more than 100 beats per minute, shortness of breath has appeared. These may be symptoms of a more serious condition.
Diagnosing the cause of palpitations can be very difficult, especially if the palpitations do not occur when you are at the doctor's office. This can be helped by blood tests that check the levels of hormones and blood elements, as well as potassium, magnesium and other electrolytes that can affect your heart rhythm. Also, a urine test that measures electrolytes. Hardware tests such as cardiogram, stress test, ultrasound, coronary angiography, etc. are also used for diagnostics.
Treatment of heart palpitations
Treatment depends on the cause of the heart palpitations. If there is no medical reason for palpitations, there is no need to treat them, but you can reduce the symptoms.
Learn to manage stress and anxiety. Incorporating relaxation techniques into your routine can help reduce the risk of heart palpitations caused by stress or anxiety. There are many options, but the most popular are physical activity, breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, meditation.
Avoid stimulants. Try to avoid or reduce your caffeine intake. Avoid energy drinks. Also find out if the medicines you are taking can cause other diseases heart palpitations. If the drug causes palpitations, ask your doctor if there are any alternatives.
Watch your diet. Low blood sugar can increase the risk of heart attacks. Replacing sugar and other simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates can help keep blood sugar levels stable.
Quit smoking if you smoke. in 2018 In a research review published in 2015, researchers found evidence that smokers are at risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common cause of arrhythmia.
Deficience of magnesium and potassium
Magnesium is an essential mineral found in the body. It is found naturally in many foods and is also available as a dietary supplement. It acts on more than 300 enzymatic reactions, such as those responsible for blood pressure regulation, glycemic control, and lipid peroxidation. Therefore, it is also very important for the cardiovascular system. An adult human body contains about 24 g of magnesium, 50-60% of which is in the bones and the rest in the soft tissues. Serum magnesium contains less than 1% of total body magnesium. In industrialized Western countries, low magnesium intake often leads to a high prevalence of magnesium deficiency and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease.
Despite the importance of magnesium for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, dietary magnesium intake is often insufficient. Several factors are thought to contribute, including loss of magnesium through food processing, low magnesium in vegetarian diets, metabolic effects during pregnancy, drug treatment for osteoporosis, alcoholism, stress, as well as varying levels of magnesium in water. The recommended dietary intake of magnesium would be about 300 mg per day for women and about 420 mg for men.
Magnesium deficiency symptoms
The importance of magnesium supplementation to prevent arrhythmias in patients with congestive heart failure has long been established. Magnesium also affects the movement of other ions such as potassium, sodium and calcium across cell membranes. The relationship between magnesium and potassium is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that magnesium deficiency is often accompanied by potassium deficiency.
Magnesium deficiency, also known as hypomagnesemia, is an often overlooked health problem. They can be both physical and mental.
Muscle cramps. Shakiness, tremors and muscle cramps are signs of magnesium deficiency. In the worst case, the deficiency can even cause seizures. Although occasionally
Mental health disorders. Mental health problems are another possible consequence of magnesium deficiency. One example is apathy, which is characterized by mental numbness or lack of emotion. In addition, observational studies have shown that low magnesium levels are associated with an increased risk of depression.
Increased blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency can increase blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. Several reviews have concluded that magnesium supplements can lower blood pressure, especially in adults.
Irregular heartbeat. Cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, is one of the most serious possible consequences of magnesium deficiency. An arrhythmia can range from no symptoms to very severe symptoms. It can cause heart palpitations in some people.
Some people with congestive heart failure and arrhythmia have been shown to have lower levels of magnesium than people without heart failure. In a small study of 68 people with heart failure, magnesium injections significantly improved the participants' heart function.
Causes of magnesium deficiency
The causes of magnesium deficiency can be various: fasting, taking certain drugs such as chemotherapy drugs and proton pump inhibitors, acute or chronic diarrhea, "hungry bone syndrome" after parathyroid or thyroid surgery, etc.
Health conditions such as diabetes, malabsorption, chronic diarrhea and celiac disease are associated with magnesium loss. People with alcohol use disorders also have a higher risk of magnesium deficiency.
Potassium is a mineral found in food. It is also an electrolyte. Electrolytes conduct electrical impulses throughout the body. They help to perform various essential functions of the body, including that they participate in the regulation of blood pressure, heart rate, pH balance (acidity and alkalinity), water balance in the body, muscle contractions, transmission of nerve impulses, and digestion.
The human body does not produce potassium naturally. Thus, it is important to consume enough potassium-rich foods. Getting too little potassium can lead to serious health problems. However, taking too much can also cause temporary or long-term health problems.
Symptoms of potassium deficiency
Abnormal heartbeat. Potassium plays a vital role in maintaining healthy heart muscle contractions. That's because the flow of potassium into and out of heart cells helps regulate your heartbeat. Low levels of potassium in the blood can alter this flow and cause an abnormal heart rhythm called a cardiac arrhythmia. Heart arrhythmia can also be a sign of serious heart disease. If you notice any abnormal changes in your heart rhythm, contact your doctor immediately.
Difficulty breathing. Severe potassium deficiency can make breathing difficult. Breathing requires several muscles, especially the diaphragm, to help the lungs inhale and exhale air. When blood potassium levels are very low, the lungs cannot expand and contract properly, causing shortness of breath. Due to a severe lack of potassium, the lungs can even 'fail', which is fatal.
Potassium helps the lungs expand and contract, so a potassium deficiency can cause shortness of breath.
Polyuria (frequent urination). Polyuria is a condition where you urinate more than usual. The kidneys are responsible for balancing the body's fluid and electrolyte levels and eliminating all waste products through urine. Low potassium can impair the kidney's ability to concentrate urine and balance electrolytes in the blood, causing increased urination. Excessive urination can deplete potassium. That's why it's important to talk to a healthcare professional if you notice a sudden change in how often you urinate.
High blood pressure. Good electrolyte balance is important for maintaining healthy blood pressure. Consuming too much sodium can increase blood pressure in some people. However, few people know that too little potassium in the diet can have the same effect. Potassium helps the kidneys get rid of excess sodium in the urine. If there is not enough potassium in the blood, the kidneys reabsorb sodium back into the blood, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure over time.
https://www.bonum.lt/maisto-papildai/basica-sport-660-g.html?keyword=basica
https://openheart.bmj.com/content/5/2/e000775
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/potassium-deficiency-symptoms#supplements
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms
