2023-08-16 08:09:31
by Stefania Riva
In situations of high stress, anxiety or psychological disorders, the heart reacts by increasing the frequency of its beats
I have been suffering from panic attacks for about 3 years. A year ago I had a very strong one, with 180 beats per minute: the electrocardiogram performed in the Emergency Department showed sinus tachycardia. That episode sparked an obsession with heartbeats in me. I noticed that I always have them high and my thoughts only towards the heart. During the day I have several times tachycardia and very strong anxiety. Even in the morning when I get up from 60 beats per minute I get to 120, just moving from one position to another. I don’t know what to do anymore with this heart that always beats strong and fast. I’ve been taking bisoprolol 1.25, but still have persistent tachycardia with very high peaks where my heart jumps from a normal beat to a very fast beat within seconds. This symptomatology can last for hours and hours, even at night; I just feel a flutter with my heart in my throat and it feels like I’m about to die. I’m afraid this will all lead to something bad like a heart attack, because the heart won’t be able to tolerate such high beating forever. I am no longer going out as I always have very high heartbeats as I move. What can I do?
Answer by Stefania Riva, Arrhythmology Operational Unit, Monzino IRCCS Cardiology Center in Milan (VAI AL FORUM)
His disorder is panic attacks; the palpitation that feels only the consequence of these attacks on the heart: it is not, therefore, a question of a disease or, better, of a primary cardiac arrhythmia. The heart is an organ very sensitive to nervous influences and therefore absolutely normal that in situations of severe stress or psychological disorders it responds by increasing the frequency of its beats. However, you shouldn’t worry, there is no relationship with the possibility of a heart attack or other serious consequences: the heart is a very “tolerant” organ and capable of withstanding this kind of tachycardia.
What needs to be treated primarily are panic attacks, but it is useful to associate in the meantime, as you are already doing, a mild beta-blocker because it provides the heart with a sort of armor that limits the annoying effects of the nervous system. Furthermore, it is useful to try slowly to resume correct physical activity which helps to bring the heart rate back to more tolerated values. The fundamental approach, however, is the psychological one, without which he cannot completely solve the problem.
August 16, 2023 (change August 16, 2023 | 08:09)
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