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Is Heart Rate Of 165 Bpm After An Orgasm A Cause For Concern?
Question: Hi doctor i have had 2 cardiac work ups done in the past year by 2 separate cardiologists. Both times my heart showed structurally normal and i passed both stress tests. I also had 2 48 hour holters done. The latest holter showed sinus rhythm with 400 single pacs and a few bigemy cycles and 2 couplets, No runs. It also showed 15 PVCS unifocal. I had slight bradycardia at rest 26 % of the time and lowest heart rate was 41 while sleeping. Highest heart rate was 164 during an anxiety episode. Lately i feel an increase in Etopic beats and palpitations at night and when i wake up in the morning. I also get some during the day which are less noticeable. I am a little concerned even though my cardiologists both insist my heart is very healthy. I eat a very good diet and i have lost 80 lbs over the last year, I used to weigh almopst 300 lbs and now weigh 215 Lbs. I do not exercise because i am afraid of arythmia but my cardiologists say i should start. Also i have noticed sometimes during sex, I get irregular heartbeat. Some fast beats and then some slower strong beats around 56 bpm. When i have an orgasm my heart will race around 165 bpm sometimes for approximately 2 minutes.
Brief Answer:
Just relax and don't worry about! Everything will be OK!
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern, and would like to explain that your heart is responding the right way to your level of stress and anxiety.
Nothing abnormal is happening with your heart. A fasting heart rate during psychological stress, as well as during orgasm is physiological. You shouldn't worry about.
Those rare ectopic beats are not considered pathological, as such a number is encountered frequetly in normal individuals during increased levels of anxiety. They are more prominent in the morning after waking up and before going to sleep in the night, as these moments produce a high level of anxiety.
The right way of getting out of this concern, would be getting involved in more physical activities, addressing the right issues that bring you to stress, and having frequent discussions with your therapist on how to autocontrol repeated bouts of generalised anxiety (panic attacks).
Probably an anxiolytics would be of some help.
Keep reducing your weight, as this will demonstrate your effective ability to realise your willingness on changing things.
Your long way of dealing with anxiety, will be also the right way of facing your actual heart rhythm issues concern.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
Feel free to ask me whenever you need! Greetings! Dr. Iliri
Just relax and don't worry about! Everything will be OK!
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
Thank you for asking on HCM!
I understand your concern, and would like to explain that your heart is responding the right way to your level of stress and anxiety.
Nothing abnormal is happening with your heart. A fasting heart rate during psychological stress, as well as during orgasm is physiological. You shouldn't worry about.
Those rare ectopic beats are not considered pathological, as such a number is encountered frequetly in normal individuals during increased levels of anxiety. They are more prominent in the morning after waking up and before going to sleep in the night, as these moments produce a high level of anxiety.
The right way of getting out of this concern, would be getting involved in more physical activities, addressing the right issues that bring you to stress, and having frequent discussions with your therapist on how to autocontrol repeated bouts of generalised anxiety (panic attacks).
Probably an anxiolytics would be of some help.
Keep reducing your weight, as this will demonstrate your effective ability to realise your willingness on changing things.
Your long way of dealing with anxiety, will be also the right way of facing your actual heart rhythm issues concern.
Hope to have been helpful to you!
Feel free to ask me whenever you need! Greetings! Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Doctor thank you for your reply. I've been noticing over the past few days that I can feel my heart beating even when I am just sitting down. I check my pulse and it does not seem very fast but I am aware of it. Is this normal to be aware of my heartbeat throughout the day? I do have some acid reflux as well as the anxiety. Can this be the cause? Also sometimes I will be sitting there and I can feel a few hard or quicker beats and then back to normal. Is this a common thing
Brief Answer:
Anxiety is the response of your heart rate concern.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX!
All the above feelings come naturally in the presence of anxiety; nothing else could explain your persistent awareness regarding heart rate issues.
Once again, I want to assure you that nothing wrong is going to happen with your heart. Relax and don't worry about! Your awareness is also responsible for those few or quicker beats you are experiencing.
Best regards! Dr. Iliri
Anxiety is the response of your heart rate concern.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX!
All the above feelings come naturally in the presence of anxiety; nothing else could explain your persistent awareness regarding heart rate issues.
Once again, I want to assure you that nothing wrong is going to happen with your heart. Relax and don't worry about! Your awareness is also responsible for those few or quicker beats you are experiencing.
Best regards! Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi doctor I thank you for being so positive and reassuring to me. I have a follow up today with my cardiologist just as a consult to see how I'm doing. I'm a little nervous because all the symptoms and I do not want to be put on medication. I don't think he will anyway because I have had these symptoms before. I just have one last question as well. Are the tests I have had from cardiologists sufficient to rule out a heart problem? For example I have had ecgs, 2 holter monitors, 2 stress tests and 2 Echocardiogram. I also had a 2 day event recorder
Brief Answer:
You have already performed all the necessary cardiac test.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
I would explain you that all the performed tests are quite sufficient to confirm that nothing wrong is happening with your heart.
The prior cardiac tests have totally excluded any possible cardiac implications in your recent complains occurrence. There isn't any additional cardiac tests that may be indicated facing your actual complains.
I wish you a helpful discussion with your cardiologist.
Best regards! Dr. Iliri
You have already performed all the necessary cardiac test.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXX!
I would explain you that all the performed tests are quite sufficient to confirm that nothing wrong is happening with your heart.
The prior cardiac tests have totally excluded any possible cardiac implications in your recent complains occurrence. There isn't any additional cardiac tests that may be indicated facing your actual complains.
I wish you a helpful discussion with your cardiologist.
Best regards! Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi doctor thank you for the reassurance. I was just curious how does anxiety cause all these symptoms with my heart? For example I know that it cause the etopic beats but how come it makes me get these irregular heart beat sensations. For example the fast and slow episodes I get and the unevenly spaced out heart beats. Also can Gerd be making it worse?
Brief Answer:
Anxiety increases sensitivity and triggering factors for arrhythmia.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX!
Anxiety may increase the level of circulating catecholamines, which may trigger ectopic cardiac beats or other atrial arrhythmic disorders.
From the other part, anxiety may lower sensitivity threshold, leading to anomalous and exaggerated perception of endogenous and exogenous stimuli.
GERD poses a stressful trigger on you, and subsequently your heart, as do all the other unpleasant, painful, anomalous stimuli.
Greetings! Dr. Iliri
Anxiety increases sensitivity and triggering factors for arrhythmia.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX!
Anxiety may increase the level of circulating catecholamines, which may trigger ectopic cardiac beats or other atrial arrhythmic disorders.
From the other part, anxiety may lower sensitivity threshold, leading to anomalous and exaggerated perception of endogenous and exogenous stimuli.
GERD poses a stressful trigger on you, and subsequently your heart, as do all the other unpleasant, painful, anomalous stimuli.
Greetings! Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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