What causes irregular heart beat? – Learn about heart disease.
Here’s another question I asked Dr. Cynthia Shelby-Lane and her answer about causes irregular heart beat.
Lisa Nelson: What do you recommend for individuals experiencing heart palpitations and what may be triggering the problem?
Dr. Shelby-Lane: Arrhythmias are any deviations in the normal rhythm of the heart (heartbeat). They usually occur as a result of interference with the electrical pathways that produce the heart’s rhythmic muscular contractions. The Parasympathetic Nervous System is responsible for slowing down the heartbeat rate. The Beta-1 Adrenergic Receptors of the Beta-Adrenergic Nervous System are responsible for speeding up the heartbeat rate.
If you experience the following symptoms, you may need to be evaluated for toxicity and consider a stress test, echocardiogram, holter monitor or a tilt table test for further evaluation and diagnosis. A neurologic evaluation may also be indicated.
Fluttering or pounding in the heart
Hemodynamic disturbances are potentially life-threatening such as bradycardia and tachycardia
Dizziness
Syncope (fainting)
Unusual awareness of the heart
Anxiety
Abnormal ECG (provides a “one-shot” picture of the electrical activity of the heart)
Holter 24-hour monitoring results (Holter monitors look at the heart for a longer period of time and are necessary to detect intermittent rhythm problems.
Possible Causes Irregular Heart Beat, Contributing or Associated Factors
1. Coronary artery disease
2. Hypertension
3. Adverse drug reactions
4. Endocrine imbalances, especially thyroid or adrenal disorders
5. Myocardial tissue disease (valvular, atrial and ventricular abnormalities)
6. Sequela of rheumatic fever
7. Metabolic disorders
8. Nutritional deficiencies, especially magnesium
9. Caffeine
10. Environmental toxins or food allergies
11. Damaged conductive tissue (neurocardiogenic syncope)
12. toxicities
13. anxiety and stress disorders, etc.
Follow up diagnostic testing is recommended to determine if the above conditions are causing the problem.
Heart disturbances can occur as a symptom of magnesium deficiency: Measuring your red blood cell magnesium can give you a good idea of your actual magnesium level.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Heart Healthy Tips
Heart Disease – What is the connection between blood pressure and heart rate?
Here’s another question I asked Dr. Cynthia Shelby-Lane and her answer.
Lisa Nelson RD: Please explain the connection between high or low blood pressure and someone’s heart rate? For example, if someone lowers their blood pressure, should they see a corresponding decrease in heart rate? Also, should someone be concerned about a consistently high heart rate, such as 100 bpm?
Dr. Shelby-Lane: Blood pressure and heart rate are interrelated components of the cardiovascular system and therefore, not mutually exclusively. One can affect the other.
Persons with well controlled high blood pressure, with or without medication, can also have a cardiac arrhythmia or irregular heart beat. This heart rhythm problem, if poorly controlled can then affect the blood pressure.
Persons with low blood pressure, due to a variety of reasons, can have a normal or abnormal heart rhythm. Person with a disorder called neurocardiogenic syncope can have low blood pressure and a low or normal heart rate, but this is positional in nature and may involve a severe hormone problem related to the adrenal glands.
Lisa Nelson RD: Hmmm, not sure you answered the question. Yes, blood pressure and heart rate are connected. If someone lowers there blood pressure via medication or lifestyle changes, should they expect a lower heart rate also?
Dr. Shelby Lane: This is not a straight forward answer. You can have normal blood pressure and an altered heart rate or vice versa. Heart rate and rhythm may be caused by electrical disturbances which may or may not affect blood pressure. Again, there is no one answer and follow up with a specialist is needed since there are multiple causes for high and low blood pressure as well as heart rhythm disturbances. Hope this makes sense.
Lisa Nelson RD: Thanks for the clarification. There is not one set answer for this question.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
