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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Could Overuse Of Coricidan Cause Chest Tightness, Increased Heart Rate, Palpitations And Hypertension? What Is This Condition?

I m a twenty year old male, and my chest is very tight, along with it being hard to swallow, and take in a deep breath. This just started today, but i have been getting heart palpitations frequently, (at least a series of them every 30 minutes off beat) for around a year, heavy palpitations. My heart always seem to be beating really hard, so hard that i shake, and my neck is almost always twitching, especially if I m in a situation that s prone to raising my heart rate. My blood pressure only seems to be slightly above normal anytime I m at a doctor. Which from my understanding doesn t add up. I m worried that my heart might be enlarged, and almost positive i will have a bad heart in the future. But i would like to know the possibly of having these conditions, and if these add up to a specific heart condition. Also one thing i suspect contributed to it is, when i was 16 i took a 16 count box of Coricidan cold and cough 3 separate times. I was young and stupid, and i regret it. The main ingredient in Coridian is DXM. Which has been linked to heart problems when used excessively. Which would have have even worse side-effects on a growing body. I also smoke and chew tobacco, do not drink, and haven t used any illegal drugs in just shy of 4 years. I m currently taking 300mg of Lamotrigine for Bi-Polar disorder. Thanks for the help.
Tue, 17 Dec 2013
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Cardiologist 's  Response
Dear patient,

Thanks for your query. Even in the setting of excessive, ocassional overuse of dextrometorphan, usually no significant heart damage is seen; it would be even more rare given your young age. The smartest and best thing you can do now for your health is stop smoking cigarreste and chewing tobacco, since nicotine is a very powerful stimulant of the cardiovascular system and known to increase palpitations; for the vast majority of people, palpitations arise from premature beats, which are benign. Refrain completely from smoking, caffeine, stimulants and monitor symptoms; if still present and concerning, an ambulatory Holter monitor could be obtained to record the electrical activity of your heart.


Hope that helps wish you the best,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Cardiology
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Could Overuse Of Coricidan Cause Chest Tightness, Increased Heart Rate, Palpitations And Hypertension? What Is This Condition?

Dear patient, Thanks for your query. Even in the setting of excessive, ocassional overuse of dextrometorphan, usually no significant heart damage is seen; it would be even more rare given your young age. The smartest and best thing you can do now for your health is stop smoking cigarreste and chewing tobacco, since nicotine is a very powerful stimulant of the cardiovascular system and known to increase palpitations; for the vast majority of people, palpitations arise from premature beats, which are benign. Refrain completely from smoking, caffeine, stimulants and monitor symptoms; if still present and concerning, an ambulatory Holter monitor could be obtained to record the electrical activity of your heart. Hope that helps wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Cardiology