Brief Answer:
Probably a physiological phenomenon

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thank you for your question and welcome to HCM. I understand your concern.

Well, every time after we consume a meal, the organism has to work harder to process the food. This puts the heart in a "position" that has to overcome the excess need of the gastro-intestinal (digestive) tract to process the food. Therefore, more forceful heart beats can be perceived by the individual. Furthermore, the stomach after the meal, applies more pressure to the diaphragm, causing an increased within ribcage pressure, a pressure applied also to the heart, which may produce fast and forceful beats.

Some people, such as in your case, in one moment or another, may perceive this as an unusual phenomenon, therefore the common questions are asked to one self "what is wrong with me?" "is something terrible going to happen to me?" "am I going to die?". This state produces panic and fear.

Fear is a type of anxiety, and as all other types of anxiety, is characterized by one thing: a flush of catecholamines (adrenalin and noradrenalin) to the system. These agents have a lot of influences in the human organism, one of which is increasing the heart rate.

To sum up, I would recommend you that this is a normal physiological phenomenon that accompanies the food processing in the digestive system. The following part of the symptoms are purely as a result of panic attacks.

Also, I would recommend you that the meals should not be heavy, but normal portions of meals, without burdening your stomach, in which case it would produce the above mentioned problems.

However to be on the safer side and for absolute clarity , I need you just check into your Cardiologist to undergo a 12lead EKG as well as 2D-Echo.

I hope this is helpful with my answer.

I am happy to help, if you have follow-up questions.

Wish you the best,
Dr. Meriton

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