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Suggest Treatment For Palpitations
For the past couple of days I have been having very bad palpitations (skipped heart beats). It usually occurs in the afternoon/evening after I have done my house chores, going for a small walk, or eating. I notcied it happens a lot after exercising (which I don't do very often). I am 31 years old, female, do smoke cigarettes, no drugs or alcohol. I've been to the ER several times for this and they never find anything wrong. I don't have regular health insurance so I can't see a family doctor. I don't know what else to do. Any advice?
posted on
Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 19 Sep 2017
Answered on
Wed, 20 Sep 2017
Last reviewed on
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that some palpitations are quite normal during physical or emotional stress.
They are related to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, causing increased circulating levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Anyway, a cardiac arrhythmia can not be excluded either. For this reason, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests:
-a chest X ray study
- a cardiac ultrasound
- an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring
- thyroid hormone levels for thyroid dysfunction
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance.
If all the above tests result normal, you should consider anxiety as a possible cause of your complaints. The lack of physical activity also can contribute to this clinical scenario.
For this reason, I would strongly encourage you to be more active.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Welcome on HCM!
Regarding your concern, I would explain that some palpitations are quite normal during physical or emotional stress.
They are related to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, causing increased circulating levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Anyway, a cardiac arrhythmia can not be excluded either. For this reason, I would recommend consulting with your attending physician for a careful physical exam and some tests:
-a chest X ray study
- a cardiac ultrasound
- an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring
- thyroid hormone levels for thyroid dysfunction
- complete blood count for anemia
- blood electrolytes for possible imbalance.
If all the above tests result normal, you should consider anxiety as a possible cause of your complaints. The lack of physical activity also can contribute to this clinical scenario.
For this reason, I would strongly encourage you to be more active.
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
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