Tachycardia is a type of arrhythmia characterized by an increase in heart rate above normal values. Typically, tachycardia is diagnosed when the heart muscle contraction frequency is more than 90 beats per minute.
Tachycardia is an objective characteristic (as opposed to the patient’s complaints of increased heartbeat). A person may complain of increased heart rate, and at the same time have a normal pulse rate. And vice versa: in some cases, tachycardia does not attract a person’s attention, and he does not notice that his heart is beating faster than normal.
What factors affect heart rate?
The most common non-infectious pathology in all countries of the world is diseases of the circulatory system. Based on the results of epidemiological studies dating back to the late 90s of the 20th century, WHO experts came to the conclusion that an increase in heart rate (HR) at rest is one of the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases in healthy people.
According to the national recommendations of the All-Russian Scientific Society of Cardiology, the resting heart rate of a healthy adult should be no more than 80-85 beats per minute and correspond to the pulse rate. The optimal heart rate for an adult at rest is from 60 to 80 beats per minute, while the specific heart rate is individual for each person and depends on a number of factors.
The first is gender. Women have higher normal heart rates than men. This is explained by the specific characteristics of hormonal and emotional backgrounds.
The second is age. In adults, the normal heart rate increases with age: at the age of up to 50 years, the average normal value is 70 beats per minute, at the age of 50-60 years - 74 beats per minute and 79 beats per minute in people over 60 years of age.
In addition, heart rate depends on lifestyle, including physical activity: trained people have a lower heart rate than those leading a sedentary lifestyle. Bad habits also have an impact - smoking, alcohol abuse.
And finally, this indicator correlates with external factors: heart rate increases with lack of sleep, nervous tension, after a heavy meal, increased ambient temperature, etc.
Forecast
Cardiac arrhythmias are dangerous because they can lead to sudden cardiac arrest due to complete blockade of conduction. In severe arrhythmia, there is a high risk of ventricular fibrillation, which can be fatal. Atrial fibrillation leads to the formation of blood clots in the atria and their transfer to other organs with the development of stroke and gangrene of the extremities. The probability of an unfavorable outcome in patients with arrhythmias depends on the form of rhythm disturbance and is more than 20% per year. You should not rely on folk remedies - arrhythmia is very dangerous and requires correction by a professional cardiologist.
How to correctly calculate your pulse?
For self-counting, the most common method is palpation (palpation) of the radial artery of the wrist. You need to count your pulse at rest, no earlier than 2 hours after eating, bathing, or massage. The accuracy of the result depends on the correct counting technique.
First, you need to take a watch or stopwatch. Sit down with your hand on a horizontal surface, palm up. Place the index, middle and ring fingers of the opposite hand on the wrist approximately 3 centimeters from the base of the thumb;
When you feel the pulsation, you need to lightly press the artery to the inside of the radius. There is no need to press with force, as the pulse wave may disappear under pressure.
Then you need to count the number of blood pulses within 1 minute. Pulse waves should follow each other at regular intervals; then count the pulse on the second hand.
An increase in heart rate at rest greater than 90 beats per minute is considered tachycardia.
Sources
- Utsumueva M.D., Mironov N.Yu., Shlevkov N.B., Kiktev V.G., Gupalo E.M., Kashtanova S.Yu., Mironova N.A., Golitsyn S.P. Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy and concomitant cardiac conduction disorders. Clinical case and discussion of the problem. Cardiovascular therapy and prevention. 2020;19(3):2368.
- Salami Kh.F., Shlevkov N.B., Sokolov S.F. Possibilities and limitations of standard electrocardiography for the differential diagnosis of tachycardias with widened QRS complexes. Almanac of Clinical Medicine. 2019;47(4):350-360.
Physiological and pathological tachycardia
Depending on the causes of occurrence, physiological and pathological tachycardia are distinguished.
Physiological tachycardia occurs during emotional, physical stress, high temperature and humidity, being in hot and stuffy rooms, abuse of tonic drinks - strong tea, coffee, energy drinks, taking certain medications, smoking or drinking alcohol.
In healthy people, physiological tachycardia is an adaptive mechanism and, when the external stimulus is removed, the heart rate returns to normal within 5 minutes.
Pathological tachycardia occurs in cardiovascular, endocrine, acute infectious, oncological and other diseases and accompanying conditions - dehydration, large blood loss, shock conditions, pain syndrome, etc. - or when the functioning of the autonomic nervous system is disrupted.
Thus, tachycardia at rest is most often a symptom of some disease and requires medical examination.
With tachycardia, the heart works under increased load and does not have time to fill with blood in the required volume, the blood supply to all organs deteriorates, and oxygen starvation develops.
The kidneys, organs of vision and gastrointestinal tract, central and peripheral nervous systems suffer, and the course of existing diseases is complicated.
The heart muscle gradually wears out, which can result in heart failure. In addition, there is a life-threatening type of tachycardia, so a visit to the doctor cannot be postponed.
Slow heartbeat - bradycardia
Bradycardia is a condition where the heart beats so slowly that it cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. If bradycardia is left untreated, it can lead to extreme fatigue, dizziness, or fainting because not enough blood is supplied to the brain. This condition can be corrected by using an electronic pacemaker, which makes the heart beat normally.
Bradycardia occurs for various reasons:
- Sick sinus syndrome
The appearance of sinus bradycardia as a result of a “malfunction” in the sinus node (the natural pacemaker of the heart) occurs when discharges for contractions occur too infrequently. A weak sinus node can develop with age or be a consequence of illness. Some medications may also cause or worsen bradycardia. This arrhythmia may be temporary or permanent. It can be treated with medications or an electronic pacemaker.
- Blockage of the heart pathways
Heart block is a slowing or interruption of the electrical signal to the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) that cause the heart muscle to contract. The heart's electrical conduction system typically sends signals from the upper chambers of the heart (atria) to the lower chambers (ventricles), which causes coordinated contractions of the heart muscle. Complete blockade of the atrioventricular node can manifest as a sudden loss of consciousness, since the ventricles contract very rarely without stimulus from the sinus node. An artificial pacemaker can eliminate this problem and normalize heart function.
When should you see a doctor?
Alarming symptoms include constant heartbeat at rest with a heart rate of more than 80 beats per minute, different time intervals between pulse beats when counting the pulse, different pulse values on the left and right arms.
You should also consult a doctor in case of fainting, episodes of loss of consciousness, chest pain, a feeling of “interruptions” in the heart, tachycardia after blood loss, vomiting, diarrhea, when tachycardia is combined with shortness of breath, dizziness, insomnia, frequent headaches, increased blood pressure. pressure, increased sweating, trembling hands.
In addition, it is important to inform your doctor if tachycardia occurs even with minor physical activity and does not go away within 5 minutes, as well as if an attack of tachycardia begins suddenly or there are repeated attacks.
An attack of tachycardia is manifested by the following symptoms: within a few minutes, the heart rate increases sharply and can reach 150-200 beats per minute, accompanied by sweating, weakness, and a feeling of fear.
Treatment
Treatment is aimed at eliminating the causes of rapid heartbeat and is carried out comprehensively. First of all, factors that cause tachycardia are excluded: it is forbidden to drink strong coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages, eat chocolate, or smoke. It is recommended to normalize your emotional state and avoid excessive physical activity.
The complex of treatment of the underlying disease includes sedatives and additional drugs that normalize the functioning of the heart muscle.
Photo: v_l / freepik.com
If tachycardia is caused by structural changes in the heart or a disruption in the production of hormones and does not respond to drug treatment, the patient may be offered surgery: radiofrequency catheter ablation, installation of a pacemaker, removal of tumors if present. In any case, the treatment regimen is prescribed by a cardiologist after consultation with other specialists.
Important! Medicines that correct heart rhythm should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription; incorrect selection of therapy can only worsen the disease.
How to relieve an attack of tachycardia?
Unbutton your clothing collar, open a window or balcony, inhale deeply and exhale very slowly; breathe like this for 5-10 minutes. Then hold your breath and, as it were, “push” the air into the lower abdomen - this stimulates the vagus nerve, as a result of which the heartbeat will slow down;
Take Corvalol or Valocordin: dissolve 15-20 drops of the drug in half a glass of water at room temperature;
Wash your face with cold water, lie down on a high pillow, place a towel soaked in cold water on your forehead, try to relax;
Close your eyes and simultaneously press on your eyeballs for 2-3 minutes: press for 10 seconds, break for 10 seconds;
Find the right carotid artery (immediately under the jaw, at this point it connects to the cervical artery) and gently, without pressure, massage it. This technique also stimulates the vagus nerve and slows the heart rate.
If the condition does not improve, the heart rate does not decrease, dizziness appears, a feeling of shortness of breath, darkened vision, call an ambulance.
Diagnostics
Based on the symptoms and collection of anamnesis (patient complaints), one can suspect the cause of tachycardia. To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe special examinations: an electrocardiogram (ECG), ultrasound of the heart (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY), general blood test, urine test, blood test for hormones.
Currently, it is possible to monitor the work of a patient’s heart in the normal rhythm of life. Using a portable device, which is attached to the belt under clothing, an ECG is continuously recorded throughout the day. This procedure is called 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring. It can be done in the hospital and at home.
Cardiogenic shock
The pathological condition is caused by damage to the heart muscle and a disorder of its contractile function. There is a tachyarrhythmic form of cardiogenic shock, which is observed with frequent attacks of ventricular arrhythmia. Increased contraction of the myocardium leads to insufficient blood flow into the left ventricle, which disrupts the functioning of the mitral and aortic valves. Blood flow into the systemic circulation practically ceases, which contributes to the expansion of necrotic areas of the myocardium.
Cardiogenic shock is accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure to critical levels
Signs of the development of a pathological condition:
- pale skin;
- sudden loss of consciousness;
- decreased kidney function;
- symptoms of pulmonary edema.
Preventing the development of cardiogenic shock involves timely restoration of heart contractions and stabilization of blood pressure.
Cardiac ischemia
A severe consequence of coronary heart disease is acute myocardial infarction. During a heart attack, blood circulation in the myocardium is disrupted, as a result of which it receives an insufficient amount of oxygen and nutrients. Hypoxia leads to accelerated contraction of the myocardium, against the background of which cardiomyocytes die.
Patients suffering from regular heart palpitations require careful diagnosis to prevent complications
Predisposing factors in the development of the condition are:
- chronic hypertension;
- chronic vascular diseases;
- increase in myocardial size.
If there is insufficient oxygen supply, any pathology can provoke a heart attack.
