Palpitations are heartbeats that feel fast and can be felt in the chest, throat, or neck. They are usually triggered as a result of stress, exercise, medications and rarely are the result of a medical condition, says the Mayo Clinic institute.
“While heart palpitations can cause concern, they usually don’t hurt. In rare cases, they can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), which might require treatment.
According to experts, the heart normally beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. However, in people who exercise regularly or take medications to slow the heart rate, the rate can drop below 60 beats per minute.
When the heart rate is very high and there are more than 100 beats per minute, this is called tachycardia, states the medical library Medline Plus; while if it is below 60, it is known as bradycardia.
It is common for a person to have palpitations at night. Information from the Healthline portal indicates that if you sleep on one side you may be more susceptible to this situation due to the way the body bends and how pressure builds up internally.
Another situation that can occur is that the palpitations are felt at night, but actually occur throughout the day, only becoming evident when the person goes to bed due to lower noise levels and fewer distractions.
Symptoms of heart palpitations can be concerning if they are unexpected or have not been experienced before. Some of these signs are reflected in the sensation of an irregular pulse or that the heart has stopped for a brief moment, the feeling of “churning” in the chest, and a fast or pounding heartbeat.
According to Mayo Clinic experts, infrequent, short palpitations at night are usually not a cause for alarm. However, it is advisable to seek immediate medical attention if they occur along with shortness of breath, fainting or loss of consciousness, chest pain, and feeling lightheaded.
Causes
The causes are not always clear, but the most common, according to specialists, are related to strong emotional responses, such as stress, anxiety or panic attacks, depression, strenuous physical activity; stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, and some medications, fever, hormonal changes, and thyroid hormone problems.
In rare cases, heart palpitations can be a sign of a serious problem, such as an irregular heartbeat, known as an arrhythmia, which can cause a very fast heartbeat (tachycardia), an unusually slow heartbeat (bradycardia), or a that varies from the usual heart rate or a combination of all three.
Risk factor’s
There are several risk factors for this situation to occur, according to the Healthline portal. For example, stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and some over-the-counter medications. Also medical conditions, such as anemia, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, or thyroid disease; chocolate consumption, alcohol and lack of sleep.
Similarly, it can affect depression or anxiety, stress, fever, rigorous exercise and changes in hormones due to pregnancy, menopause or menstruation.
Specialists indicate that the best way to prevent these palpitations from appearing and being evident, especially at night, is to avoid triggers. For example, if a person smokes or drinks a lot, it is important that they consider quitting or reducing their consumption.
Additionally, a method to identify the triggers is to follow up and thus determine the causes to try to avoid them, since most of them can be changed or minimized with the adoption of healthy practices.
