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15 Year Girl, Hard And Faster Heart Beat. What Could Be This?
hi, my friend is 15, a girl, and doesn't play sports. over the past 8 months, her heart will start beating extremely hard and fast. it used to do it every few weeks, but now it does it almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day. even if she is just sitting around watching tv, or eating it happens. like sometimes it lasts for a minutes but sometimes it lasts for almost an hour. and it doesn't just speed up a little, her resting heart rate of around 80 goes up too 160-190 beats per minute, very hard beats. it happens a lot after or during physical activity. but it happens a lot when she is just resting. do you know what might be wrong?
posted on
Sat, 11 May 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 11 May 2013
Answered on
Sat, 11 May 2013
Last reviewed on
dear patient,
thanks for your health concerns about your friend. the history presented is quite suggestive of a paroxysmal arrhytmia, most likely originating from the upper chambers of the heart. nevertheless, abnormal rhythms from the bottom chambers which are more worrisome could be possible as well. since the episodes are frequent, the best course of action would be to arrange for a holter monitor (records electrical activity of the heart continously) in consultation with a cardiologist
hope that is useful wish you both the best health
Dr Brenes Salazar MD
Cardiology
Mayo Clinic MN
thanks for your health concerns about your friend. the history presented is quite suggestive of a paroxysmal arrhytmia, most likely originating from the upper chambers of the heart. nevertheless, abnormal rhythms from the bottom chambers which are more worrisome could be possible as well. since the episodes are frequent, the best course of action would be to arrange for a holter monitor (records electrical activity of the heart continously) in consultation with a cardiologist
hope that is useful wish you both the best health
Dr Brenes Salazar MD
Cardiology
Mayo Clinic MN
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