Very fast heart rate.

[PaladinX]

When I wake up in the morning totally relaxed, my heart rate is usually slow. 55-60 beats a min im guessing. But sometimes, my heart can race like SUPER FAST. I know i suffer from major anxiety problems, I was wondering how fast adrenaline or your mind can make your heart race ? I had a 24 hour holter monitor for skipped beats about four years ago, and they said everything was fine. Now i have a new symptom of my heart racing whenever i do very little physical activity. Or if i am worried about my heart rate and have my mind on it, if i than go out to walk to the store or do something, my heart pounds and races like a rabbit. I actually had to turn back home i couldnt make it to the store which is only a block or two away.

SHould I get an echo done?

regards

[Maj]

This definitely could be palpitations caused by stress but why don't you get it checked out. I'd go to my gp. Although palps are very common there are also other arrythmia's that can occur and can get treated. If this is a new symptom then when you get it checked out then you can be reassured that it's anxiety and you can relax a bit. I'm sure it'll be anxiety though and nothing to worry about.
Myra

[PaladinX]

I just took my blood pressure and pulse rate standing up as i was feeling nervous. Soon as i started taking my pressure i felt very anxious and nervous, i felt my heart speeding up, and felt heavy anxiety. The reading was like 122/92 and pulse of 140. and that im pretty sure was all from anxiety.

[Ella_Jayne]

I get this quite a lot. You've had a 24hour monitor so you should be convinced that you have no arrhythmia's. It would have been picked up, even if your concern was for PVC's, the holter looks for any abnormalities including arrhythmia's.

Stress and anxiety can lead to a fast heart rate. I know this myself. If you focus on your heart and do activity, walking etc then the rate will increase faster than normal due to you being anxious about your heart and you'll end up magnifying the rate to be faster than what it actually is.

I had an echo done for my own peace of mind. It did reassure me for about 3 weeks then I was back worrying and thinking the echo was wrong. If you think it would help then suggest it to your doctor, but have a think about it first, will it really help for you long term?

x

[PaladinX]

well the holter i had was about 4 years ago or so. in 2006, think nov. I didnt really have any symptoms while on the monitor.

As far as my pulse. It def isnt exaggerated in my mind. it really flys. I just took my pulse reading as I was feeling very anxious and it was 140. the only thing reasurring about that reading for me is that i beleive that was strictly a reading from my anxiety. I got very nerous as i was taking it and my heart started racing. and than after i took it off it calmed down. So maybe anxiety really can boost ur heart rate to really high levels?

[Ella_Jayne]

Anxiety can make your heart go fast. Your right. I was VERY VERY anxious/panicky in the hospital and my heart rate was 160, it took a while for it to come down. There was nothing wrong cardiac wise as they took several ECG's and then put me on a holter. Just put it down to anxiety. Your's sounds like it is too.

[PaladinX]

its hard for me cause i know i suffer from anxiety, but sometimes u have to think what came first the chicken or the egg, is a probably happening first and than causing the anxiety? Or is the anxiety coming first. Its really hard to know sometimes. I know I am really out of shape, I smoke way too much, and I am doing damage to myself. When i do even minor physical activities i feel my heart racing. I am not even sure if its a combo of my being aware of it plus the excercise, one the other or both

[countrygirl]

I am just like you in fact I have awful time if I have to go into any medical setting- even just sitting in the Dr surgery or visiting someone in hopsital my heart rate can go up to 140. The worst thing is every medical proceedure they do they always take your blood pressure and pulse first even your first appt with a consultant.
I was supposed to have an endsocopy in the summer but they were running 3 hrs late and I had had nothing to eat from day before and it was about 3pm and I had sat there in waiting room for 3 hrs and my pulse would not come down from 140 so Dr said go home and calm down. It took about 2 hrs for my heart rate to get back to normal. Everytime this happens I have to have an ecg before they let me go home.
I am now waiting for my endoscopy appt again and this time my GP has made a point of saying how anxious I am and asking for a morning appt.
anything and everything makes my heart race and I also have pvcs all the time.

[mummy4]

i too get a very fast heart beat esp when im feeling anxious and sometimes when im just chilling at home. its very scary. i am forever checking my pulse which is not helping the anxiety i know but just cant help it.

[louise123_uk]

My heart rate gets extremely fast when im nervous/anxious, so much so I can virtually hear it thudding (well the blood rushing in my ears), plus I think it can feel as though its fluttering because its going that fast

[RLR]

Well, an echocardiogram would be beneficial if we were looking for an anatomical abnormality within the structural walls or valves. Issues relative to rate have more to do with the nature of electroconductivity and would be better evaluated through ECG, together with other lab studies to be certain that something like your thyroid is not contributing to the problem. I can tell you that it's highly unlikely in your case.

Sudden accelerated heart rates of the character being described are most often due to changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic tone as a consequence of anxiety and/or stress. This can often happen in response to changes in blood pressure, particularly in the downward range. The reason is that anxiety and stress typically dysregulate vagal tone. It can also occur to otherwise entirely healthy individuals as a consequence of simply remaining still for a period sufficient enough for vagal tone to decrease as a result of less feedback based on physical movement. An example would be a soldier standing at attention for too long, causing vagal tone to reduce to the extent that a syncopal episode occurs. In other words, a rapid increase in cardiac force or heart rate is sometimes not enough to overcome the decrease in vagal tone, causing perfusion to the brain to be lowered such that dizziness or fainting occurs.

When you wake in the morning, depending upon the ability by the vagus nerve to respond quickly enough to changes against gravity, you might experience light-headedness or unsteadiness that is often followed by a sudden increase in heart rate and or force. The fastest way for the body to respond to lowered blood pressure is to increase cardiac force, resulting in increased heart rate and force (pounding heart).

This tends to happen more often to persons suffering from anxiety and or significant stress due to the influence these factors have on the vagus nerve and vagal tone. It can often send persons to their local ER in fear that something dreadful is happening and the fear only serves to drive the symptoms even higher in itensity.

Sedentary lifestyle also produces a somewhat erratic nature with regard to vagal tone. Even diet, hydration and the relative state of glucose can cause changes in vagal tone, demonstrated quite often in diabetics who can experience wide fluctuations in vagal tone that can sometimes result in syncope (fainting). People who spend a lot of time in the whirlpool spa can easily experience a rapid heart rate because the warm water is driving vagal tone downward. It's not uncommon for these persons to feel temporarily light-headed upon exiting the spa.

The point here is that sudden changes in heart rate are almost always non-pathological in the absence of clinically supporting data. Since your tests reveal no signs of trouble, you're fine. And just to put your mind at ease, these tests and diagnostic equipment are not in the habit of "misssing" something. They are extremely precise and with good reason.

Always trust more in the rational basis of medical tests and equipment than your fears and suspicions, which are virtually always based in irrational fear.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

[Emira7]

Rutheford

I just wanted to say that is an AWESOME post. You have explained everything. I was in hospital, I had a rapid heart rate, ECG done. Did not come back with anything.

My doctor tried to explain this to me before, but you have hit the nail on the head and explained it all so so clearly.

Thank you :-)

Emira
x

[PaladinX]

RLR that was a very insightful reply that made a lot of sense and was very educational. I greatly appreciate your feedback. What you said about.

"It can also occur to otherwise entirely healthy individuals as a consequence of simply remaining still for a period sufficient enough for vagal tone to decrease as a result of less feedback based on physical movement"

This made a lot of sense as well. I sit at the computer for many hours, and i do not get much physical activity. And sometimes I do suffer from bouts of dizziness where I feel like I have to lay down. When I get very dizzy, it never correlates with my heart rate. They seem to be two diff entities. When I am having problems or worries with my heart, i really do not feel dizzy. When my heart seems fine I might be getting or worrying about dizziness.

Its great to hear a retired MD give their opinion and give educational information. Thank you. Just to throw it out there, my last holter monitor test was four years ago, and I didnt have any symptoms while on it. (of course).

THe reason why i am thinking echo. Is because I read a lot that even if you have a rhythm disturbance, If your heart is structurally normal, there usually is not a reason for concern.

Sincerely,

[deon]

I woke up the other day with a racing pulse at 3.00 am, i thought I was going to die, but I knew I was having an attack, after an age it went back down. I know my heart is strong , I used to run regular marathons, its been tested and it's fine, but Ive had chest pains almost continously for 2 years and its still going strong, my pulse can double during an attack, the pains are sharp and terrifying, but Im still here (obviously) I dont think there's any harm in going to the GP and getting it checked, a little reassurance cant do any harm can it, surely every positive message is a good one?

[PaladinX]

see if i was a super athlete like yourself I wouldnt be worried as much, but the truth is, even tho i am kind of young 29. I live a crappy life style, I get like no physical exercise and i smoke a ton. thats why when i feel bad i worry. bad habits are hard to break