Literally Skipping the Beat...

BANGALORE, India - Aug. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- It was terrifying: My heart would suddenly start to beat very fast but erratically says Vandana (Name Changed), a working professional in an administration department. She felt a sudden sense of fear in her, when her heart started racing and had a feeling like she skipped a beat in the middle of the night. She could feel her heart beat faster than it usually does. Although it lasted for few seconds, it worried her. Initially she thought it may have happened due to anxiety or stress. But it still haunted her and she finally consulted a psychiatrist.  The doctor could not diagnose what was wrong since everything seemed normal when she was examined. Thus, he referred her to Dr. Keshav R, consultant cardiologist at Fortis Hospitals, Cunningham Road. There was no prevalence or consistent recurrence of her heart racing and skipping the beat. Therefore, Dr. Keshav R suspected that an event of Heart Palpitation might have occurred.

Heart palpitations are feelings or sensations in heart that may or may not occur due to any heart ailments. Palpitations that occur without any consequence of a heart disease are called benign. Even though, palpitations are most often harmless, it can cause a sense of fear or worry. Seldom, heart palpitations are a sign of a heart disease; hence it is important to consult the doctor once the signs start to show up. Often, palpitations may occur in a very small brief amount of time. Heart palpitations may be due to excess stress and anxiety. While, some heart palpitations may be due to abnormal heart rhythm which may be caused by heart disease, abnormal heart valve, abnormal blood level of potassium, certain medications, overactive thyroid or low levels of oxygen in the blood. On the other hand, over usage or consumption of caffeine, drugs and cigarettes are also the causes for palpitations. Anxiety is one of the common features in many patients of palpitations.

It may not be monitored due to various circumstances such as the doctor would not have been able to record the palpitation when it had occurred. In case of Vandana, since Dr. Keshav could not diagnose her at the time of the event, he installed a device, available at the hospital, to her chest that monitors the heart rates for 24 hours in a day for a week or fortnight. It is completely harmless and the patient would have it on them at all the times even while bathing and sleeping. It monitors and records the heart events. In case of an unusual event, it is forwarded directly to the physician or the doctor through web-based interface via GPRS, to alert them on the same. Likewise, an event was recorded when Vandana’s device alerted Dr. Keshav R after which she was diagnosed for heart palpitations and was treated for the same.

A normal resting adult heart beats’ average rate is 60 to 100 times per minute.  The electrical signals originating from the pace maker of the heart, SA node, governs the heart rate, i.e. how fast the heart beats. The patients are first checked if the palpitations are occurring due to arrhythmia because the treatment for the same may vary. Tests for arrhythmias include resting electrocardiogram (EKG), 24-hour rhythm monitoring (Holter), echocardiogram and a treadmill exercise test. Sometimes, cardiac cathetertization with angiograph is performed to diagnose any ailment in the coronary arteries or in the valves which might be the cause for triggering the arrhythmia. Apart from these, level of thyroid hormone, potassium, magnesium and medications are checked since excess of thyroid hormone and fluctuations in potassium and magnesium levels might prompt arrhythmia.

A documented diagnosis of palpitations needs medication. In many cases, if palpitations are recurring and affecting the routine life of a person electrophysiology study is recommended which is an invasive study to find the cause of palpitation and treat it.