What Causes Palpitations And Tachycardia In A Patient With Anxiety?

Posted on Fri, 17 Jul 2015

Question: Hi doctor I have one last question before I close the discussion. Today has been a very busy and hectic day at work. I just finished and I had lots of anxiety today. Now that I'm finished I have a birthday party to attend. I am driving and getting palpitations. Skipped beats and fast heart rate. Is this normal? I also checked my pulse and felt something that felt like a double beat. Is that dangerous?

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Following advice.

Detailed Answer:
Hi back XXXX,
Once again i read your query very carefully.

You shouldn't worry about palpitations and tachycardia. These are common findings in patients with anxiety disorders which have had a bus day.

Busy and hectic days are accompanied by an increased adrenaline levels causing palpitations and tachycardia. These are normal symptoms in patient with otherwise normal heart (all cardiac test were normal).

You shouldn't worry about the skipped beats on pulse palpation it's not a harmful finding (it's only the feeling of PACS on pulse check). As I have said earlier avoid doing it because this increase your anxiety.

Hope this was of help!
Wish you health!
Dr. Shehu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Benard Shehu (1 hour later)

Hi doctor thank you for your reply. This message was from a while back. I got the results from my loop monitor yesterday and my cardiologist says everything is normal. No arythmia detected just some etopic beats and no symptom rhythm correlation. Today I have had a lot if etopic and I am very nervous. However is this connected to my digestion? My stomach has been very uneasy all day and feeling of bloated. Also I get these beats where I feel 5 or 6 very strong and slow beats and then back to normal. What can this be. I did not feel it during the loop monitor but my cardiologist reassured me I don't need any other testing. He says stress related. Can stress be causing 5hese beats?

Answered by Dr. Benard Shehu (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Following advice.

Detailed Answer:
Hi back,

Once again loop monitoring evidenced only premature beats that are harmless and you shouldn't worry about that. The only problem they can cause is discomfort and aggravating your anxiety disorders.

For me the cornerstone of your problem is anxiety that together with GERD cause ectopic beats. It's a well known fact that more ectopic beats you feel more anxious you get.

This is why i strongly recommend CBT (and other anxiolytic treatments), together with antacids and ppi (treatment for GERD) in order to relieve your symptoms.

Wish you health!
Dr. Shehu

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar