First aid for palpitations. Sudden tachycardia: causes that provoke the occurrence of paroxysm. Video: how to treat tachycardia at home

Tachycardia is a rapid heartbeat. After physical labor, a glass of strong coffee, or emotional stress, heart rate increases. This is a natural physiological process. This is how compensatory mechanisms work in the human body.

Etiological factors

But sometimes a rapid heartbeat is an indicator of illness. This can be due to endocarditis, rheumatism, myocarditis, anemia, an attack of paroxysmal tachycardia, overproduction of thyroid hormones, or the presence of an adrenal tumor. Also viral bacterial infection, in which an increase in temperature is observed, often occurs with increased heart rate.

It is imperative to stabilize the heartbeat, since tachycardia impairs blood flow both through the coronary vessels and through the vessels of the brain. Also, the heart muscle suffers from constant contractions and its trophism is disrupted.

What to do?

Of course, the cardiologist will say that it is wrong to treat palpitations separately. You must first conduct a professional diagnosis to identify the cause. And by eliminating etiological factors, it will be possible to normalize heart rate.

But what if an attack of tachycardia began while you were at home. What can be done before the ambulance arrives?

If you felt general weakness, you have difficulty breathing, your vision has darkened, your heart is beating faster, you need to measure your heart rate on the wrist. Namely, where the radial artery passes. The heartbeat is considered rapid when the heart rate is >90 beats/min.

Techniques to reduce heart rate


Firstly, if the heart rate increases, the patient needs to lie down. Next, you need to unbutton your clothes and provide access to clean air. You can use sedatives to reduce the frequency of contractions within 20 minutes.

By influencing reflexogenic zones, you can eliminate an attack of tachycardia. Let's take a closer look at this technique.

The basic techniques are described below.

  1. By irritating the root of the tongue, you need to cause gag reflex. In this case, stimulation occurs vagus nerve and, accordingly, the parasympathetic centers of the nervous system.
  2. First, close your lips and close your nasal opening with your hand. Next, try to exhale. Repeat several times for 1-3 minutes.
  3. Simulate a severe coughing attack.
  4. Holding your breath also lowers your heart rate. Take a deep breath, hold your breath for 3-5 seconds. and exhale. We repeat the exercise for 3 minutes. This technique can be slightly modified. For example, we slowly count to 5 - take a breath, do not breathe for 3 seconds, and, accordingly, having counted to 8, exhale.
  5. When pressing on the carotid sinuses, chemoreceptors and baroreceptors are irritated. This leads to vasodilation, which automatically reduces blood pressure and heart rate.

Technique: the patient lies down on the bed. Massaging right side neck for no more than 10 minutes. The carotid sinus section is an enlarged part of the carotid artery. The movements are smooth, without excessive pressure, and there is no need to apply excessive force. If the patient has been diagnosed with increased carotid sinus syndrome, as well as for elderly people, this method of eliminating tachycardia should absolutely not be performed.

  1. The patient lies down and closes his eyes. Next, use the pads of the index and middle fingers to apply pressure to the eyeballs. Namely, on the upper inner corner. Duration of exposure is about 10 seconds. You need to repeat on average 5 to 8 times.
  2. You can drink 1-2 glasses of cold water. What the essence of this technique is is not yet fully known, but the experience of clinicians speaks about positive impact cold water to reduce heart rate.

All these methods of eliminating an attack of rapid heartbeat can be used in the supraventricular form of paroxysmal tachycardia.

If you need to stabilize your heart rate at home, medications such as Validol and Corvalol are the first-priority drugs.

Food

Honey has good sedative properties. It is recommended to take a mixture consisting of 15 mg of honey, 15 ml of lemon juice and walnuts. Also 50 gr. honey can be mixed with 50 gr. black radish juice. Take up to 100 mg every day for about a month.

Mix equal amounts of carrot, beet juice and black radish juice. Drink a glass 3 times a day.

If the patient has problems with the digestive system (gastritis, gastroduodenitis, peptic ulcer), you need to consult a doctor, since the recipes given above can lead to an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

Herbal decoctions


Hawthorn, mint, lemon balm, motherwort, chamomile are heart rate stabilizers. Let's look at how to properly prepare herbal decoctions.

  • Brew chamomile, bearberry, and sweet clover in equal proportions. Drink 300 ml daily for 6 months.
  • Add 2 liters of water to the mixture consisting of 6 tsp. hawthorn (rose hips), green tea and motherwort leaves. Boil for 5 minutes. Take every day.
  • Brew infusions based on mint and lemon balm leaves (mix in equal proportions).

First of all, if you have an accelerated heartbeat, you need to call an ambulance. It is necessary to understand what is the cause of this condition. After all, if tachycardia develops against the background of, for example, thyroid pathology, no herbal infusions or mechanical methods described above will help. Only rendering specialized assistance will give results.

Ecology of health: Increased heart rate can be caused by both a sedentary lifestyle and excessive physical activity. That is why it is so important to take moderation to take care of your health.

Are you worried about your heart palpitations and don't know why this is happening? Please keep in mind that there may be different reasons for this problem. And it is not always easy to detect them.

There are many factors that can cause rapid heartbeat in a person.

Today we will tell you about the main causes of this problem. This will allow you to understand the situation and avoid worrying too much about it.

Rapid heartbeat - what is it?

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Before considering the causes of the problem, it is necessary to understand what exactly a rapid heartbeat is. A similar symptom worries us when our heart feels overloaded and begins to contract more often than usual.

Some patients say that at this moment their heart begins to resemble a bird captive in its chest, desperately flapping its wings in an attempt to break free.

Rapid heartbeat is usually accompanied by symptoms such as:

What is the cause of rapid heartbeat?

If you notice that your heartbeat has become frequent and unusual, you need to carefully analyze the lifestyle you lead. As a rule, small changes in life will be enough for this problem to disappear on its own.

1. Nervous tension

One of the most common causes of tachycardia is nervous tension. This is why it is so important to be able to control your emotions and manage your emotional state, preventing the appearance of nervous tension and panic attacks.

Although heart palpitations caused by this factor do not pose a threat to our health, it is necessary to take steps to calm down and manage our emotions. In this case, the problem will quickly disappear on its own.

To survive such a moment, it is recommended lie down on your back and focus your thoughts on something joyful and calm. This will take your attention away from the beating of your heart.

Gradually you will feel your heartbeat returning to normal.

If you are in a stressful situation, we recommend that you abstain from caffeine. It would be better to replace caffeinated drinks with chamomile or mint tea.

2. Stress

If you often have to experience stressful situations, your heart cannot stay away from what is happening. A stressful life is the second factor that can cause a person's heart palpitations.

Stress causes a decrease in blood flow, which leads to problems related to blood pressure and heart health.

If in lately If you regularly suffer from tachycardia, pay attention to these recommendations:

  • Exercise: it will help you release energy and relieve stress.
  • Lead a calm lifestyle.
  • Stick to a workday schedule, doing all your work at a certain time.

3. Lack of physical activity

Do you try to avoid sports at all costs? Perhaps you should reconsider your point of view on this issue, because exercise will make your life healthier.

This may be hard for you to believe, but it is true: too little physical activity or its complete absence can also cause tachycardia.

In this regard, it is very important to devote at least 30 minutes to physical exercise and walks twice a week.For most of us, walking to work and shopping would be enough.

On the other hand, according to some sports experts, each of us needs to engage in physical activity that has no other purpose than the training itself.

Why? The fact is that if we do not plan to play sports and do not wear sportswear, our body does not perceive such activity as sports.

Each of us understands that we must observe moderation in everything. This means that excessive physical activity just as harmful as sedentary image life.

The consequences of such overload are especially noticeable in people over forty years of age and those of us who practice sports that require serious effort.

It is possible that this is why you are worried about a rapid heartbeat, while you may not experience other health problems.

How to protect yourself from the side effects of sports? Pay attention to these recommendations:

  • The intensity of physical activity should correspond to your capabilities and your physical condition.
  • Start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.
  • Don't neglect the help of a sports instructor.
  • If you want to try yourself in a new sport, it is recommended that you first undergo a medical examination.
  • Before you start exercising, warm up your muscles with stretching exercises.

5. Low blood pressure

Low blood pressure can pose a serious threat to our health. This problem has a direct impact on the condition of our heart, as a result of which this organ becomes overloaded and tachycardia begins to bother us.

If your doctor diagnoses you with low blood pressure, it is very important to follow his or her instructions carefully. You should not skip taking medications or change the time you take them.

To protect your heart from problems, try going for a walk every day.

6. Pre-existing heart problems

Perhaps you had to suffer from some kind of heart disease? Some of us have heart problems as children or adolescence, but over time they disappear.

The problem is that gradually stress and bad habits begin to undermine our health. This may lead to increased heart rate.

If you have already had to deal with cardiovascular diseases, it is recommended:

  • Do not abuse drinks containing caffeine and alcohol.
  • Exercise regularly, avoiding overload.
  • Have a medical examination every six months.
  • Tell your doctor if you have any health problems or are taking medications.

As you may have noticed, the factors influencing the appearance of tachycardia are quite diverse. We recommend that you always be attentive when this problem occurs.

If it is sporadic, there is no need to worry. Take this as a signal that your life needs change. Your body is warning you that you should lead a healthier lifestyle.

If palpitations become chronic, It is recommended to seek advice from a cardiologist as soon as possible.published . If you have any questions about this topic, ask them to the experts and readers of our project .

Tachycardia and ways to cope with an attack on your own

This happens unexpectedly. You didn't even feel your heart, and suddenly boom! It begins to beat furiously - 72 beats per minute turns into 120, 180, 200 beats in just seconds! You also feel out of breath and waves of nausea rise along with panic. You even start to sweat.

Your doctor says that you have tachycardia, and more specifically, paroxysmal tachycardia. The first time this happens, you should be thoroughly examined. Work with your doctor to rule out ventricular tachycardia (a type of fast heartbeat that is life-threatening) and all forms of organic heart disease, thyroid disease, pulmonary dysfunction, and so on.

Here are some ways to put chains on your tachycardia. Below you will find techniques to help you cope with attacks and lifestyle tips to help prevent them.

How to cope with a beginning attack.

Slow down. Think of an accelerated heartbeat as a red signal that warns, “Stop what you're doing! Cool down! Relax! In fact, rest is the best mechanism for stopping an attack, says Dr. Dennis S. Miura, director of clinical arrhythmia and scientific electrophysiology at medical college Albert Einstein at Yeshiva University.

Vagal methods.

The heart rate and force of contraction of the heart are regulated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) nerves. When your heart beats hard, dominates sympathetic system(this is the system that forces your body to increase speed). All you have to do is turn on the control: a more seasoned, softer parasympathetic network. If you stimulate the vagal nerve, you initiate a chemical process that affects the heart in the same way that slamming on the brakes affects your car.

Inhale with straining. One way to turn on this network is to take a deep breath and push it down, as if you were pushing, says Dr. John O. Lauder, a family physician in Torrance, California.

Exhale forcefully. As stupid as it may sound, wrap your lips around your thumb and try to blow as hard as you can.

Sometimes it can help to reflexively stop an incipient heart attack. severe cough or artificially induced vomiting.

Massage of the right carotid artery. Gentle massage of the right carotid artery is another vagal maneuver. Your doctor should show you the correct amount of pressure and the correct point. You need to massage the artery where it connects to the neck and as low under the jaw as possible, says Dr James Frackelton from Cleveland.

Pressure on the eyeballs. This is also a vagal method. Close your eyes and use your fingertips to gently press on your eyeballs for 10 seconds. Then stop and repeat the procedure.

Rely on the dive reflex. When marine animals dive into the coldest layers of water, their heart rate automatically slows down. This is their natural way of preserving their brain and heart. You can create your own immersion effect by filling a basin with ice water and submerging your face in it for a couple of seconds. “Sometimes this breaks the tachycardia,” says Dr. Miura.

Cup ice water. When you feel an attack beginning, take a large glass and fill it cold water(you can use pieces of ice. The colder the water, the better). Go to the bed, remove the pillow. While standing, drink water from a glass and lie down on the bed so that your head and legs are at the same level. Try to calm down and relax.

How not to lose consciousness.

Since attacks of arrhythmia often cause loss of consciousness or conditions close to this, some advice on how to prevent fainting would be useful.

Well-known recommendations: sit down or lie down, loosen tight clothes, provide access to fresh air into the room or go outside, wet your face, neck, and chest with cold water. Take a validol tablet under your tongue or drink 20-30 drops of Corvalol/Valocardine diluted with water. If you have ammonia, you can moisten a handkerchief or cotton wool with it and carefully inhale its vapors. There are also other ways:

- Find the junction of your thumb and index finger on the back of your hand. You will feel a kind of angle under the skin formed by the bones of the hand. Massaging this point in combination with the above recommendations will help you stay conscious.

Close the pads of the thumb and little finger of your left hand. Use your thumbnail to press under your little fingernail until it hurts slightly. The same method can be used to revive a person who has already lost consciousness.

- Find a point above your upper lip. This point is located approximately in the middle of the central groove. Pressing on the point for a few seconds or massaging until you feel slight pain will help prevent you from fainting or revive a person who has already lost consciousness.

Lifestyle tips.

Quit your coffee habits. This includes coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, diet pills or stimulants in any form. Abuse of stimulants can lead to an increase in the frequency of attacks and make it more difficult to stop them without the help of a doctor.

Eat regularly and only healthy food. Don't overindulge in sweets. If you skip a meal and then fill your stomach with chocolate or soda, your pancreas will work harder to take care of the increased sugar intake, says Dr. Frakelton. Then, due to excess insulin, your blood sugar will become too low. In this case, your adrenal glands release adrenaline to mobilize glycogen stores in the liver. Adrenaline stimulates a sharp increase in heart rate and a feeling of panic.

Adapt your diet to your metabolism. People with fast metabolisms should eat more protein foods, says Dr. Lauder. Protein foods take longer to digest and this helps prevent your blood sugar levels from falling too low. When blood sugar drops, it triggers the process described above.

Relax, don't chase success. Dr. Lauder says that he has noticed a relationship between atrial paroxysmal tachycardia and such characteristics of individuals as a tendency to pedantry, a desire to move up, and a focus on external success. “These are basically the same people who get migraines,” he says. - For people of this type, cardiac conduction mechanisms become abnormally dilated. This is due to chronic overstimulation by adrenaline. When people are under the influence severe stress, there is a failure of the autonomous conduction of the heart, loss of rhythm.”

How to compensate? Get into a progressive relaxation program and learn to envision “serenity, relaxation, calm and peace,” says Dr. Lauder.

Take the micronutrient magnesium. Magnesium is a cell protector, says Dr. Frakelton. IN muscle cells heart magnesium helps regulate the effects of calcium. When calcium enters a cell, it stimulates muscle contractions within the cell itself. Magnesium is most important for enzymes in the cell that push calcium out. This creates rhythmic contraction and relaxation, which makes the heart more resistant to stimulation, says Dr. Frakelton. Magnesium is found in foods such as soybeans, nuts, beans and bran.

Maintain potassium levels. Potassium is another micronutrient that helps improve heart function and muscle excitability, says Dr. Lauder. This trace element is found in vegetables and fruits, so it is not difficult to get enough of it. But you can deplete it if your diet is high in sodium or if you take diuretics (diuretics) or overuse laxatives.

Exercise. “You can achieve a lot if you exercise,” says Dr. Frackelton. - When you do exercises that increase your heart rate, your heart rate then tends to return to a lower level. In people who do not exercise, their heart rate is usually around 80. When they start jogging a little, their heart rate increases to about 160, 170. Then, after some training, their resting heart rate can reach 60-65. Exercise also increases your resistance to the release of excess adrenaline, he says. “And this will reduce your irritability.”

Paroxysmal tachycardia

If the doctor has diagnosed you with “Paroxysmal tachycardia”, believe me, this is not a disaster. But disaster can happen when, knowing your diagnosis, you deliberately refuse treatment.

At least once in their life, every person has experienced a feeling of rapid heartbeat, especially when excited or afraid. These short-term increases in rhythm are most often physiological and most likely do not require any treatment, but in any case, the need for treatment will be decided by your attending physician.

Tachycardia (“tachy” means fast, “cardia” means heart) - an increase in heart rate at rest of more than 100 per minute.

Tachycardia is an increase in heart rate at rest of more than 100 per minute.

Paroxysmal tachycardia (PT) is a sudden onset and just as suddenly ending attack of rapid heart rate from 100 (120) to 220 (250) per minute while maintaining the correct regular rhythm in most cases. Moreover, maintaining the rhythm and constant heart rate throughout the attack is an important sign of paroxysmal tachycardia. For example, with physiological (sinus) tachycardia, the heart rate during physical activity, emotional stress, and deep breathing increases smoothly, which is not typical for paroxysmal tachycardia.

Paroxysmal tachycardia is an attack of rapid heartbeat that suddenly begins and ends just as suddenly.

An attack of paroxysmal tachycardia usually lasts from several seconds or minutes to several hours or, much less frequently, even several days.

Under the influence of various reasons, a new focus of excitation may appear in the heart. This focus generates its own impulses, which can result in premature contraction heart or its parts. Otherwise, such a premature contraction of the heart or its parts is called extrasystole. Most often, the paroxysm is “triggered” by the extrasystole.

Types of paroxysmal tachycardia

Depending on where the electrical impulses are generated and which chamber of the heart contracts first, paroxysmal tachycardia (PT) occurs:

1. Supraventricular (accounts for about 80% of the total number of PTs)

Atrial AT - the source of excitation is located in the atrium

Atrioventricular AT - the focus of excitation is the AV node

Rice. 1 Atrial tachycardia (scheme, ECG from the atlas of von P. Kuhn p. 24 No. 8)

2. Ventricular tachycardia


Ventricular paroxysmal tachycardia will appear if the source of excitation is in the ventricle.

Rice. 2 Ventricular tachycardia (diagram, ECG from the atlas of von P. Kuhn p. 15 No. 7)

A short episode or “jog” of paroxysmal tachycardia is considered to be a “volley” of at least 3-5 extrasystoles in a row.

Paroxysmal tachycardia occurs under the influence of a wide variety of factors:

  • extracardiac (or extracardiac);
  • intracardial factors (cardiac).

Thus, in people with a healthy heart, PT can occur during a stressful situation, intense physical and mental stress, and such factors are usually called extracardiac. Rapid heartbeat may occur when smoking, drinking alcohol, eating spicy foods, strong tea and coffee. As you already understand, these are the most common provoking factors for a wide variety of rhythm disturbances. This group of causes also includes organ diseases in which PT can develop as a complication. These are thyroid diseases (for example, thyrotoxicosis), kidney diseases (for example, kidney prolapse), lung diseases (especially chronic ones), dysfunction and diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Intracardiac factors include heart disease itself and various types of abnormalities in the impulse pathways. Most often, diseases such as coronary heart disease, myocarditis, heart defects, and mitral valve prolapse lead to PT.

Separately, I would like to talk to you about the so-called Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). According to the classification, the syndrome belongs to supraventricular PT.

Rice. 3 Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome (diagram, ECG).

It is named after the researchers who first described its manifestations in 1930. This syndrome is caused by the presence in the heart of additional abnormal pathways for conducting electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles (bundle of Kent and some others). Their difference from normal pathways of excitation transmission lies in the speed of impulse transmission through them. These abnormal pathways conduct impulses very quickly, and it turns out that some part of the myocardium contracts much faster than the rest of the heart muscle. This contributes to the appearance on the ECG of an additional wave of ventricular excitation, which is called a delta wave and is an important sign of WPW syndrome.

Diagnosis of paroxysmal tachycardia

If you suddenly feel an arrhythmia and consult a doctor, tell him in great detail about your complaints. After all, the doctor is not with you during an arrhythmia attack, and he cannot observe it. That's why your story is so important for making a diagnosis.

The doctor needs to know the following things:

  • When the attack of PT began, what were you doing (sleeping, being at work, etc.).
  • How do you feel arrhythmia? Have there been any heart problems? Sudden and short-lived feeling of emptiness in your chest? Feeling of fading and cardiac arrest? Rapid heartbeat?
  • Do you feel at this moment a feeling of dizziness with darkening in your eyes? Was the attack accompanied by loss of consciousness and an unexpected fall or not?
  • At the time of arrhythmia, do you feel pain in the chest, a feeling of lack of air?
  • How did the attack end? Also suddenly or gradually?

The correctness of the diagnosis and the decision on the necessary treatment depends on the accuracy of your answers.

The doctor should know about your previous diseases, in particular diseases of the cardiovascular system, as the most common cause of PT. During the interictal period, the diagnosis of PT is retrospective. After collecting anamnesis, the doctor conducts a thorough examination.

It is important to understand that a doctor can make a final diagnosis of PT only after an electrocardiographic study. It is this method that allows you to accurately determine the type of paroxysmal tachycardia: supraventricular or ventricular. In some cases, additional 24-hour or 48-hour ECG monitoring is necessary to detect an attack of PT.

In our practice, we constantly encounter cases where a paroxysm of tachycardia cannot be recorded on an ECG at rest. Therefore, such patients are offered a test with physical activity on a “treadmill” (treadmill) or on a bicycle ergometer. Doctors deliberately “provoke” arrhythmia. Sometimes there is no other way to document rhythm disturbances at all. In addition, the danger of the procedure is reduced to zero, since the condition of the patient is carefully monitored and doctors are ready to provide assistance at any time.

Persistent paroxysm (lasting more than 30 seconds) leads to a dangerous decrease in blood pressure, heart failure, and shortness of breath. If treatment is delayed, PT may progress to ventricular fibrillation, a condition that requires resuscitation. And I would like to say a few words separately about this formidable state.

Ventricular fibrillation is characterized by ultra-frequent (up to 300 or more per minute), erratic contractions of individual myocardial bundles. On an ECG it will look something like this:

Rice. 4 Ventricular fibrillation (ECG from the atlas von P. Kuhn p. 21 no. 1

This kind of rhythm disturbance is one of the most common causes sudden death patients with coronary disease heart disease, myocarditis, heart defects in an advanced stage. The occurrence of ventricular fibrillation leads to circulatory arrest, since such frequent contractions of the ventricles are hemodynamically ineffective. The heart beats chaotically and almost empty. Blood flow in the brain decreases and, unless emergency measures are taken, sudden clinical death occurs.

Ventricular fibrillation is the most dangerous type of heart rhythm disorder.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that clarifying the form of PT is crucial for choosing treatment aimed at preventing an attack and stopping it.

Prevention and treatment of paroxysmal tachycardia

In each individual case, the doctor decides the issue of treatment individually, taking into account the various causes and mechanisms of occurrence of PT. He can teach you various ways to independently eliminate attacks using “vagal tests” or a single dose of an antiarrhythmic drug. Treatment of PT should be complex and multicomponent. Depending on the frequency, subjective tolerance and its danger, approaches to the treatment of PT are different.

Treatment of paroxysmal tachycardia should be comprehensive.

To determine the nature of treatment, it is first necessary to establish the cause of PT. During the examination, a situation may arise that requires antiarrhythmic therapy there is no need. So, if an attack develops, for example, due to excessive physical activity or stress, sometimes it is enough to relax, lie down, take a sedative, or use other preventive measures.

The whole complex preventive measures very extensive and varied. If paroxysm has developed due to extracardiac factors, then we recommend that you, if possible, avoid various stressful situations, streamline your regimen and eliminate excess stress on the body. Of course, it is necessary to limit or even remove coffee, strong tea, spicy foods from the diet and give up alcohol and smoking.

For people who are emotional, easily vulnerable, and who react heavily to various ups and downs in life, we can recommend seeking advice from a psychologist or psychotherapist. If necessary, the doctor can prescribe sedatives: valocordin, corvalol, validol, infusion of valerian root and others.

If paroxysm occurs against the background of thyrotoxicosis, then an endocrinologist will treat thyroid diseases.

If PT has developed against the background of a disease or dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney disease, then a gastroenterologist and nephrologist, respectively, will deal with medicinal and, if necessary, surgical treatment of the disease. With proper treatment of the underlying disease, attacks of rapid heartbeat and all unpleasant sensations should disappear. Thus, there will no longer be a need to use antiarrhythmic drugs.

In the case of the development of PT due to intracardial factors (coronary heart disease, myocarditis, heart defects, etc.), it is much more difficult to manage without the use of antiarrhythmic drugs. Searches for the most effective drug or its selection often takes a long time. Initial stage It is advisable to select an antiarrhythmic drug in a hospital where there is the possibility of constant monitoring of the patient. Some medications can themselves cause arrhythmia or worsen an existing one. It is for this reason that the selection of the drug and its dose should be done exclusively by your attending physician.

The selection of an antiarrhythmic drug should be carried out in a specialized medical institution.

For rare (1-2 times a month, up to several times a year) and mild attacks, you can limit yourself to stopping them. For frequent (more than 2 times a month) attacks, continuous use of antiarrhythmic drugs is indicated.

Treatment of supraventricular and ventricular paroxysmal tachycardia

Treatment of supraventricular and ventricular paroxysmal tachycardia is also different. Rare, short-lived attacks of PT sometimes do not require medical intervention at all. Frequently recurring and prolonged attacks must be stopped. In case of supraventricular PT, it is necessary to start with “vagal tests” and continue the procedure until recovery sinus rhythm. TO antiarrhythmic drugs In case of persistent tachycardia, they resort to “vagal tests”, recurrence of attacks and the appearance of complications. If there is no effect from drug treatment sometimes it is necessary to resort to electrical pulse therapy and intracardiac or transesophageal electrical stimulation of the heart.

Treatment of supraventricular PT in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome has some features. The most effective is surgical method treatment. Its purpose is to interrupt the conduction of the impulse along additional pathways.

Indications for surgical treatment:

  1. At least a single episode of ventricular fibrillation.
  2. Recurrent paroxysms of atrial fibrillation.
  3. Frequently repeated and resistant to drug therapy attacks of tachycardia.
  4. The presence of other congenital anomalies (malformations).
  5. The occurrence of repeated attacks of tachycardia in children and young people, which significantly disrupts their physical and psychosocial development.
  6. Intolerance to antiarrhythmic drugs.

Surgery for WPW syndrome is performed on an open heart under artificial circulation. Surgeries are also performed on a closed heart, which is much simpler technically. Direct destruction of additional bundles is carried out using catheter destruction. More details about medications and surgical treatment you can read in the corresponding chapters.

Recommendations for self- and mutual help for paroxysmal tachycardia

  1. If arrhythmia occurs:
    1. It is necessary to calm down, sit or lie down comfortably if you feel dizzy and severely weak.
    2. Provide access to fresh air (unfasten clothing that makes breathing difficult and open a window).
    3. If your doctor has taught you the “vagal tests” and checked that they are performed correctly, it will be useful to perform them (see the “Vagal tests” section).
    4. If the attack is accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the condition (heart pain, loss of consciousness, severe weakness, suffocation, etc.), then you should immediately call an ambulance.
    5. And once again I would like to remind you that all drugs for the treatment of arrhythmia and any other drugs that affect the heart rhythm can only be prescribed by a doctor, individually selecting the drug and its dose in each individual case!
  2. To prevent arrhythmia:
    1. You must take all medications prescribed by your doctor regularly and regularly.
    2. If possible, exclude factors that provoke an attack of arrhythmia.
    3. Regularly undergo follow-up examinations with your attending physician.

      Tachycardia

      Tachycardia is a pathological increase in heart rate from ninety beats per minute. Tachycardia is considered as a sign of disease when it occurs at rest. It is both a consequence of diseases of various regulatory systems and a consequence of the autoregulatory function of the heart muscle, namely the pacemakers.

      The state of tachycardia causes a number of unpleasant sensations: a feeling of fear, a feeling of frequent strong blows heart rate, shortness of breath at rest, redness skin, increased sweating, hot flashes and dizziness. In addition to such subjective sensations, there are a number of objective signs of disruption of the functioning of such organs and systems as: the central and peripheral nervous systems, organs of vision, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.

      Depending on the characteristics of the pathologically accelerated heart rate, tachycardia can be divided into sinus, paroxysmal and ventricular fibrillation.

      Sinus tachycardia is characterized by a normal rhythm generated by the sinoatrial node. That is, the rhythm is not qualitatively changed, only the heart rate is changed. This type of tachycardia is characterized by a long duration of the attack and can be stopped mainly only with medications.

      Paroxysmal tachycardia is divided into atrial, ventricular and nodal. Characteristic signs tachycardia (paroxysmal) is the sudden onset and completion of an attack. And also a more rapid heartbeat than with sinus (149-299 beats per minute).

      Ventricular fibrillation may accompany extensive myocardial infarction. shock conditions, damage to the nervous system or severe poisoning dangerous poisons. It is distinguished from sinus tachycardia by the unevenness of the rhythm - very fast (300-490 beats per minute) erratic contraction of the ventricles. Often such tachycardia precedes complete cardiac arrest.

      Fibrillation is characterized by dizziness, which turns into loss of consciousness, tonic convulsions, dilation of the pupils, and relaxation of all sphincters. Late fibrillation has a very high mortality rate.

      Cardiac tachycardia

      Tachycardia can clearly interfere with the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. This is all due to the fact that the frequently beating heart does not have time to fill itself with blood in sufficient quantities, and this, in turn, creates unfavorable conditions for the blood supply to vital organs and systems.

      The lack of blood supply is primarily felt by the ventricles of the heart, which negatively affects the function of the heart muscle. Since the ventricles push out small volumes of blood, systemic blood pressure decreases, which negatively affects the entire body. With low blood pressure, taking into account a rapid heartbeat, a person feels severely unwell, which can worsen when performing habitual physical activity. Often this condition occurs along with other autonomic disorders, which significantly aggravates a person’s condition, causes fear of death, and a severe decrease in performance.

      It is quite difficult to endure frequent attacks of tachycardia, and under examination conditions it takes a lot of time to register them. After all, tachycardia does not occur “on demand”.

      Typically, people with concomitant diseases of the heart or nervous system are admitted to the hospital, complaining mainly of increased heart rate and poor health. There are also cases when an incoming patient complains of ailments completely unrelated to the heart, and later it turns out that he has persistent or paroxysmal tachycardia. There are people who are not bothered by this condition at all.

      Tachycardia, as a symptom of many diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems, should be perceived by doctors as a signal for a complete examination. After all, the consequences of a lately diagnosed disease can be quite serious.

      Tachycardia causes

      There can be many causes of tachycardia, both physiological and pathological.

      Tachycardia may occur with organic lesions nervous and humoral regulatory systems of the body. For example, with a tumor of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma), a sharp and extremely strong increase in heart rate and an increase in blood pressure is possible. This is caused by increased production of catecholamines (regulatory hormones), especially adrenaline.

      With tumors of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus (which secrete hormones that stimulate or inhibit the functioning of all body systems), complex changes in cardiac activity are also possible.

      One of the main causes of tachycardia can be considered hypoxia. Hypoxia is insufficient saturation of organs or tissues with oxygen. That is insufficient content oxygen in arterial blood. Hypoxia can occur in poorly ventilated areas, in mountainous areas, and in public transport. Tachycardia caused by such hypoxia usually resolves after the level of oxygen in the inspired air normalizes.

      If hypoxia is caused internal reasons, then tachycardia can persist for a long time, regardless of external conditions. The reason for this may be pulmonary pathology, for example, bronchial asthma. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, occupational diseases associated with inhalation of foreign dust particles in large quantities(silicosis, anthracosis, talcosis, anthracosilicosis, asbestosis). Even such chronic diseases like allergic rhinitis. Tonsillitis and sinusitis can cause persistent hypoxia, which leads to heart complications.

      A persistent decrease in blood pressure leads to tachycardia. An increased heart rate is used as a protective compensatory mechanism. The causes of hypotension can be very diverse. For example, with vegetative-vascular disorders or during the recovery period after blood loss. Hypotension may occur as a consequence of a disorder hormonal regulation for diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pituitary gland.

      Arterial hypotension can also exist as independent disease. And do not forget about the possible hereditary predisposition to low blood pressure, which sometimes confuses even experienced diagnosticians.

      Secondary causes of hypotension are diseases that disrupt the activity of regulatory centers or mechanically (thrombosis, tumor) leads to a compensatory decrease in pressure.

      In addition to hypotension, tachycardia can be provoked by excessive consumption. alcoholic drinks. The reaction to them is strictly individual, because with the same amount of alcohol drunk, one person may have an increase in heart rate and body temperature, while another may have an increase in blood pressure and a decrease in the number of heart beats per minute.

      Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to portal hypertension. which is inevitably combined with tachycardia.

      Increased heart rate is usually accompanied by acute infections. The higher the body temperature rises, the more the heart speeds up. Physiologically, this is due to the body’s desire to “cool” the blood when the temperature rises. That is, when blood passes faster through the systemic and pulmonary circulation, the process of increasing body temperature is inhibited.

      Anemia can be considered another cause of tachycardia. Anemia is a syndrome based on a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood or a lack of the formed units that transport it - red blood cells. There are many causes of anemia and more often it is considered as a symptom of severe diseases.

      Tachycardia in anemia is caused by the body’s desire to satisfy the tissues’ need for oxygen using a quantitative method, that is, to more often deliver to the tissues blood that is insufficiently supplied with hemoglobin. This is a natural compensatory mechanism, and if such a set of symptoms is detected, the cause of anemia should be immediately sought and eliminated, because the body uses energy reserves.

      Scientists have long proven that drinking drinks containing caffeine (black tea, coffee, energy drinks) not only stimulates mental activity, invigorates and gives a reserve of strength, but also has a detrimental effect on the activity of the cardiovascular system, increases heart rate, increases blood pressure, and accelerates the natural excretion of calcium from the body. Of course, these consequences appear with regular and excessive consumption caffeine When frequently introduced into the body, it causes a kind of addiction, provoking the creation of additional receptors on cells. This leads to the fact that a person no longer needs two, but five or seven cups of strong tea or coffee to increase vitality.

      Another bad habit that has a very negative effect on cardiac activity is smoking. Examples of the effects of nicotine on the body are destruction of blood vessels, reduction brain activity, carcinogenic effects on the lips, tongue, larynx, tonsils, trachea, bronchi, lungs.

      After each cigarette smoked, a person’s heart rate increases due to the fact that the body tries to get rid of the poison in the blood, which is nicotine, as quickly as possible.

      Other drugs also affect the heart muscle, causing it to contract more often due to various pathological mechanisms. This effect is especially pronounced in stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine, and pervintin.

      Stressful situations and being in an aggressive team also force the heart to beat faster than necessary. Long-term conflicts and sluggish depressive states cause complications from the cardiovascular system. Such people complain of periodic attacks of tachycardia, angina pectoris against a background of depressed mood and depressing thoughts.

      Tachycardia can occur via a negative feedback mechanism as a result of blood loss or severe dehydration.

      Dehydration can occur due to poisoning food products not the first freshness or with kidney damage, that is, as a result of prolonged vomiting and diarrhea or increased diuresis.

      In case of poisoning with lily of the valley preparations and other glycosides, tachycardia and extrasystoles may occur, which are very difficult to treat.

      Tachycardia symptoms

      Most often, an attack of tachycardia develops very quickly and without warning. A person may not even notice it until the heart rate reaches extremely high numbers. For the vast majority of people, a certain malaise is felt already at 110 beats per minute. The feeling of a frightening heartbeat prevents you from concentrating on work, and severe shortness of breath and dizziness occur with the slightest physical exertion.

      Objectively, symptoms are determined by measuring the frequency and strength of pulsation of the vessels in the wrists and the carotid arteries in the neck. In addition to palpation of the pulse, with strong tachycardia, pulsation is also noticeable to the naked eye. Such pulsation in the carotid arteries, for example, is normally invisible. This phenomenon is called the “carotid dance.”

      An important role is played by auscultatory listening to heart sounds and determining the pulse on the wrists at the same time. Such a study is carried out to determine the nature and completeness of blood flow. A characteristic symptom of tachycardia is the “pendulum rhythm” (although some authors compare it with a metronome) - the first and second tones are practically indistinguishable.

      Another symptom of tachycardia is wetness of the skin, sweating even in the absence of physical activity in a normally ventilated area. This is due to the need to speed up water exchange through the skin, since the kidneys cannot work normally with accelerated blood flow.

      For ventricular tachycardia, a characteristic symptom is a heart rate per minute from 149 to 189, and for the supraventricular form - 190-240.

      In addition, when high numbers heartbeat increases the need of the heart muscle for oxygen and the specific energy source ATP. In people suffering from coronary artery disease, tachycardia can aggravate the course of the disease and be complicated by myocardial infarction.

      Tachycardia often occurs in combination with other symptoms, such as angina.

      Angina is an attack of heart pain that comes and goes suddenly. The pain can be of a very diverse nature: dagger-like, pressing, diffuse. Often spreads to the left arm, left subscapularis, or left hypochondrium. Pain aggravates a person’s moral state and can cause severe fear, which will provoke increased tachycardia (due to the release of adrenaline).

      To determine the severity of the condition and possible complications The time-tested method of electrocardiography is used. Based on electrocardiogram readings, an experienced specialist can determine in which part of the myocardium the pathological focus of excitation occurs. And also on the ECG you can see early or late signs of necrosis of the heart muscle.

      Tachycardia in children

      Tachycardia in children has a number of features. Almost always - if the child does not have heart defects or developmental anomalies, the prognosis is favorable. After all, children are characterized by a rapid heartbeat due to the small size of the heart, the small diameter of the great vessels, and also due to the increased need of all tissues and organs for oxygen (a growing body requires more nutrients and energy).

      Children of different ages have different heart rates. For example, in children on the 12th day the normal number of heart beats per minute is about 140. And in a twelve-year-old teenager this figure is normally about 80 beats/min.

      In children, tachycardia can be caused by vegetative-vascular dystonia. This disease has complex syndromes and many various forms. In addition, this disease does not have malignant forms and the prognosis (without the presence of concomitant diseases) is always favorable.

      The signs of tachycardia in children are practically no different from those in adults. Perhaps some children are younger age group They do not clearly explain what is bothering them. In diagnostics in such cases, an important role is played objective research and instrumental methods (ECG, EchoCG).

      Older children complain of rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, darkening of the eyes, and sweating. Often this condition causes fear or even hysteria in the child. And these factors, as is known, only increase tachycardia.

      When tachycardia and VSD are combined in adolescence, syncope (presyncope or fainting) may occur.

      Basically, tachycardia in children is considered as a passing condition or a feature of hormonal changes. If after examination the cardiologist does not reveal any concomitant cardiac or other pathologies, then in most cases this symptom does not require additional treatment.

      It is necessary to follow the recommendations of a pediatrician and cardiologist. For example, dosed physical activity. You should not completely deprive your child of the joy of being active with other children, but you need to accustom him to a certain routine.

      You should also combat physical inactivity and overweight, because these factors increase the load on the heart muscle and in the future this can greatly affect the state of health.

      Tachycardia pressure

      Quite often, when a person experiences attacks of tachycardia, he is found to have high blood pressure. Even slightly elevated blood pressure levels can cause severe headaches in some people. heart pain, dizziness, decreased visual acuity.

      If such a set of symptoms occurs, it is necessary to consult a doctor so that after all the necessary clinical and functional tests, he will prescribe the necessary medications to relieve and prevent attacks.

      After all, these symptoms can lead to quite dangerous complications that are easier to prevent than to treat. Examples of such complications include myocardial infarction, stroke or cerebral infarction, ischemic events of internal organs (most often the kidneys).

      In some people, during a neurological examination during an attack of tachycardia with high blood pressure, a sharp normalization of heart rate and gradual normalization of blood pressure is possible. This is due to stimulation of the vagus nerve during the examination. Most likely, this phenomenon occurs due to a negative feedback mechanism.

      In adolescents, tachycardia and high blood pressure can be considered a symptom of vegetative-vascular dysfunction of the hypertensive type. This disease has a number of cardiac and neurological symptoms and worsens the adaptive function of a growing organism. It is also possible psychological problems in connection with the disease. Some children do not understand enough that VSD is not the most serious illness and for some reason they begin to have complexes about this, become tense and uncommunicative.

      Tachycardia and changes in blood pressure at any age are indications for consultation with a cardiologist. Necessary comprehensive examination, especially during an attack. Therefore, it is better to stay in a cardiology hospital, where, under the supervision of medical workers, the slightest changes in the activity of the cardiovascular system will be recorded both at rest and during some physical activity (step test, squats, bicycle ergometry and others).

      Tachycardia during pregnancy

      Many women first learn what tachycardia is during pregnancy. And this is not at all surprising: during this wonderful and at the same time difficult period for the expectant mother, the entire body performs its functions in an enhanced mode.

      It has not yet been fully studied what exact causes lead to the occurrence of tachycardia in pregnant women. The key reason is considered to be that this is due to a significant increase in the level of certain hormones that give a sympathomimetic effect (increasing the strength and frequency of myocardial contractions). Not the least reason is rapid weight gain, increased overload of the heart due to the fact that it is forced to work “for two”, and the small amount of necessary vitamins and minerals caused by accelerated exchanges substances.

      This can also cause tachycardia common occurrence in women expecting a child, such as anemia. Hypotension, which quite often worries pregnant women, can also lead to tachycardia. Women with severe gestosis are especially often exposed to tachycardia, since due to frequent vomiting, the electrolyte balance in their body is disturbed.

      Everyone knows that when a fetus grows in the womb, as it increases in size, it shifts internal organs. On later The fundus of the growing uterus can slightly displace the heart, which leads to some rhythm disturbances. Expectant mothers are at risk of developing tachycardia if they smoke or drink alcohol or caffeine-containing drinks during pregnancy. And this least problem, which can lead to bad habits during pregnancy. The worst thing is that a child may be born with many diseases that will remain for life. Pregnant women should consult a doctor for advice regarding taking any medication, since even the well-known Naphthyzin drops can cause tachycardia.

      A pregnant woman is diagnosed with tachycardia if the heart rate is calm state is more than ninety beats in sixty seconds. In most cases, such tachycardia is not accompanied by pain in the heart, only occasionally some discomfort occurs. Often, such attacks of tachycardia do not last long and go away on their own. Unfortunately, sometimes there are cases when the heart rate reaches one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty, and in some cases more times per minute. In this case, with tachycardia, expectant mothers notice a severe deterioration in their health, nausea, dizziness, sometimes leading to loss of consciousness. It is imperative to inform your doctor about such episodes of tachycardia so that he can conduct an examination and prescribe the therapy that is necessary in this case.

      An expectant young mother definitely needs to be examined for tachycardia, since this phenomenon cannot be attributed solely to pregnancy. It could also be an organic pathology that can harm both mother and baby. Even if a single case of tachycardia occurs, a pregnant woman needs to have an ECG done. On the ECG, tachycardia will be detected without problems, and the doctor will also be able to find out its cause ( physiological processes or somatic pathology). If the doctor has any difficulties, he may prescribe an additional echocardiogram, a Holter study, or a thyroid gland test. Don't give up any diagnostic procedures, since, unfortunately, during pregnancy a woman may develop new diseases or worsen existing ones.

      If you suspect tachycardia, it is advisable to go to an appointment with a specialist doctor - a cardiologist. Often, tachycardia in pregnant women does not entail any consequences other than discomfort, so the expectant mother is prescribed herbal sedatives that improve not only the activity of the heart, which is busy during this period, but also sleep. Sometimes medications containing potassium or magnesium are prescribed, as well as complexes of minerals and vitamins. If necessary, the doctor will correct the electrolyte balance and anemia, which will improve the woman’s well-being and eliminate all manifestations of tachycardia.

      Attack of tachycardia

      An attack of tachycardia always begins unexpectedly. This phenomenon can be recognized by sharp increase number of heart contractions. The duration of the attack varies from a few minutes to hours.

      Tachycardia may be accompanied by severe fear for one’s life, increased sweating, and wave-like chest pain. of various nature and intensity. From all of the above, it can be understood that the causes of the attack can be any, but they can be distinguished by the symptoms accompanying tachycardia. So, if a person has abused any medications or taken them uncontrollably, an attack of tachycardia will be accompanied by a symptom such as trembling of fingers when extended. upper limbs forward. If frequent attacks of tachycardia are accompanied by weight loss, this indicates that the patient is either taking high doses of hormone-containing drugs or is trying to lose weight using medications that suppress hunger. Profuse sweating accompanies an attack of tachycardia when a person has drunk a lot of coffee or taken sodium caffeine benzoate tablets. If tachycardia is accompanied by nervousness and aggression, then most likely the cause of the attack is tobacco smoking or intense physical activity. In addition to the above reasons, an attack can also be provoked by jar of Hearts, prolonged lack of sleep and rest.

      Tachycardia can be a signal of more serious somatic pathologies: myocarditis. hypertension. thyroid dysfunction, hypoglycemia. If the number of heart beats during tachycardia reaches one hundred and twenty times per minute, you must immediately call a doctor. Before the doctors arrive, the person with tachycardia must be given complete rest.

      While waiting for an ambulance, you can perform several exercises to alleviate the condition. At the first stage, you need to take a deep breath, then hold your breath and try to push the inhaled air down. Then you need to close your eyelids and press on the eyeballs with moderate force, continuing the first stage. The exercise is performed for 1-2 minutes, then you need to rest for 10-15 seconds and repeat again and again. You can fill a container with ice water and put your face in it. Typically, an attack of tachycardia after such manipulation is stopped in a few seconds. If the attack began a few seconds ago, you can stop it by causing a cough or a gag reflex. Slow, deep inhalation followed by vigorous, quick exhalation also helps fight tachycardia. You need to repeat the last exercise for at least five minutes.

      Tachycardia treatment

      Before starting treatment for tachycardia, it is necessary to make a diagnosis and carry out differential diagnosis. The leading method that allows high probability To make sure that the cause of the complaints was tachycardia, use electrocardiography. If paroxysms of arrhythmia occur, it is advisable to conduct daily ECG monitoring using a Holter. This method The study records any slightest disturbance in the rhythm of the heart, and also makes it possible to identify ischemic changes. Another very informative method– EchoCG. This study allows you to determine the size of the heart chambers, myocardial thickness, pathological changes in the valves and limited contractility disorders. If the doctor suspects that tachycardia is caused by congenital pathology, he may order an MRI of the heart.

      In addition to non-invasive research methods, invasive ones may be prescribed in exceptional cases. The most common method is electrophysiological testing. Such a study for tachycardia is carried out for a certain group of patients before cardiac surgery. An electrophysical study gives the doctor the opportunity to assess the spread of an electrical impulse throughout the heart and determines the mechanisms of tachycardia. In order to most accurately determine tachycardia, the doctor may prescribe laboratory tests blood, electroencephalography, thyroid hormone analysis.

      After the final diagnosis of tachycardia has been established, treatment of the disease begins. Treatment methods for tachycardia directly depend on the cause of this disease. The first place in the treatment of tachycardia is the elimination of all existing provoking factors: taking caffeine (found in coffee and strong tea), quitting smoking, alcoholic beverages, limiting the daily menu of spicy foods and chocolate. It is also very important to protect a person with tachycardia from emotional shock and mental overload. In the event that the tachycardia turns out to be sinus physiological, the person does not need to be prescribed any treatment.

      If tachycardia is caused organic pathology, it is necessary to treat the disease that results in tachycardia. If neurogenic origin is traced to the occurrence of tachycardia, the patient needs to consult a neurologist before prescribing treatment. If the neurologist confirms the diagnosis, such tachycardia is treated sedatives and through psychotherapy. Tranquinol, Relanium, Seduxen are used. Tranquinol is prescribed depending on the severity neurotic manifestations, which subsequently cause tachycardia. Typically, the patient takes one or two tablets every eight hours. The duration of Tranquinol therapy is determined by the doctor. The dose of Relanium is selected strictly individually; for treatment it is recommended to give the minimum amount of medication that gives a positive result. Typically, the dose for intravenous or intramuscular administration of the drug is five to ten milligrams. The frequency of administration depends on the nature of the disease manifestation. Therapy with this drug is carried out under the strict supervision of medical personnel at regular intervals. Seduxen can be taken orally, intravenously or intramuscularly. The initial amount of the drug at oral route administration is two and a half to five milligrams. Then they begin to increase the dose very slowly and bring it up to five to ten milligrams. It should be remembered that if the patient is being treated at home, the daily dose of the drug should not exceed twenty-five milligrams. Important: all these drugs cannot be used without a doctor’s prescription!

      If tachycardia was caused by thyrotoxicosis. Along with the medications prescribed by the endocrinologist, it is necessary to take non-selective beta-blockers. These drugs include Anaprilin, Oxprenolol and many other drugs that are similar in their action. Tablets for tachycardia Anaprilin begin to be taken with a minimum dosage of ten milligrams. The tablet is taken half an hour before meals with water. If the medicine is well tolerated, its amount is slowly increased by twenty milligrams every day, bringing the daily dose to one hundred milligrams. The daily dose is usually divided into three doses. Oxprenolol is started at twenty milligrams once every six hours. Then, subject to satisfactory tolerance, single dose raised to forty to eighty milligrams. Maximum quantity Oxprenolol per day is four hundred eighty milligrams.

      Oxprenolol is also prescribed for the treatment of functional disorders of the heart that lead to tachycardia. In this case, the daily dose does not exceed eighty milligrams.

      If sinus tachycardia occurs in a person with CHF, it is advisable to combine cardiac glycosides (Digoxin) with beta-blockers. The doctor chooses the dose and frequency of Digoxin administration individually. Typically, the amount of drug per dose is 0.25 milligrams. On the first day, the total dose of the drug is divided into five times, in subsequent days - two to three times. This drug is not recommended for use in cases of tachycardia in pregnant women, since the drug penetrates the hematoplacental barrier. Its direct teratogenic effect on the baby has not been conclusively proven, but it is not worth putting it at risk, since there are more safe means with good efficiency.

      If the tachycardia is paroxysmal, massage of the eyeballs will help improve vagal tone. If this method for tachycardia did not give any special results, they prescribe antiarrhythmic drugs, such as Cordarone and Propaferon. Propaferon is prescribed both orally and intravenously. The dose for administration into a vein is selected taking into account the weight of the person with tachycardia. Usually it is 0.5-2.0 milligrams per kilogram. The drug is administered very slowly, about five minutes, monitoring the administration via ECG. Usually the drug is administered twice with a break of one and a half to two hours. When using Propaferon, undesirable effects are possible: dizziness, double vision, nausea. It is impossible to treat a patient with tachycardia for a long time with this remedy, since paroxysmal tachycardia can be replaced by sinus tachycardia. Propaferon is contraindicated if a person is diagnosed with second or third degree atrioventricular block. For home treatment, Cordarone is prescribed at a dose of six hundred to eight hundred milligrams per day. This dose is divided into several injections. In the hospital, the amount of the drug can be increased by one and a half to two times, if necessary.

      If tachycardia began suddenly, Valocordin or Corvalol (Corvaltab) will come to the rescue. These drugs are used in the form of drops. Usually, fifteen to twenty drops added to half a glass of water are enough to relieve an attack. After taking the drops, you need to rest for a while (sit or lie down), so your heart rate will return to normal faster.

      If attacks of tachycardia occur quite often, exercises are recommended therapeutic walking. It is advisable to do such walks at a constant slow pace in the evening hours. It is also necessary to mandatory give up bad habits(smoking, drinking alcohol). This will significantly alleviate the condition, and attacks will occur much less frequently. If you have tachycardia, you should not abuse too much fatty, spicy food, drink less strong coffee and black tea, and abstain from alcoholic beverages. With this disease, you need to eat regularly and in small portions, avoiding overeating, since an overfilled stomach can provoke an attack of tachycardia. It is recommended to include foods such as raisins, decoctions and infusions of rose hips, natural honey, bran, dried apricots, into the diet of people suffering from tachycardia. fresh berries, fruits.

      The therapeutic diet for tachycardia is based on several simple rules, following which you can significantly improve your well-being. With tachycardia, you need to eat four to six times a day in small portions, avoiding stomach overfilling. You should not eat before bed, as this can trigger a nighttime attack. You should also limit your consumption of sweets. Eat more products, which contain potassium and magnesium. Fat in the diet of a person suffering from tachycardia should be no more than forty to fifty grams per day. There is a lot of potassium and magnesium in grapes, grapefruits, parsley, black currants, pineapples, peaches, and bananas. Nuts are also good for the heart, especially almonds and walnuts. An omelet made from steamed proteins, as well as soft-boiled eggs (it is not advisable to eat more than one a day), are very useful. Healthy types of meat are turkey and chicken, lean beef, and veal. Meat dishes are best cooked in the oven or steamed. It is better to give up any hot sauces and seasonings and replace them with sour cream, milk or sour ones.

      From folk remedies good effect for tachycardia, decoctions of mint or lemon balm are given. In order to avoid an attack of tachycardia at night, you can sleep with a sachet pillow filled with valerian rhizomes. Elderberry and honeysuckle have a positive effect on the heart muscle. They are useful not only fresh, but also in jam. Another remedy for grandmothers is an infusion of mint with hop cones. Pour boiling water (one glass) over a teaspoon of the mixture, cover with a towel and let stand for ten minutes. Drink the resulting product in small sips at a time. Dry valerian root with mint helps directly with an attack of tachycardia. You need to take a couple of tablespoons of this collection, place it in a thermos and fill it with boiling water up to half. After the product has infused and cooled, it can be placed in the refrigerator and stored for four to five weeks. During an attack you need to drink one hundred to two hundred milliliters.

      For tachycardia, some products may cause great harm body, so you should know them in order to limit them in your diet. Alcohol, strongly brewed black tea, coffee, sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, smoked meat, fish, sausage, soda-containing foods (carbonated drinks, various biscuits, fresh bread) are dangerous for tachycardia.

      Everyone knows that it is better to prevent any disease in advance than to treat it. An excellent prevention of tachycardia will be a healthy lifestyle, eating a large amount of heart-healthy foods, taking vitamins, giving up bad habits, and getting enough sleep at night. It should be remembered that any traditional methods are more effective for prevention purposes than for treating the disease. Of course, decoctions and infusions, as well as some food products, have therapeutic effect, but it is better to combine folk remedies with treatment with medications prescribed by the doctor. Therefore, if you are worried about frequent attacks of tachycardia, heart pain, severe weakness and shortness of breath, do not experiment with decoctions, but consult a doctor for qualified medical help.

Palpitation is a feeling of accelerated rhythmic contraction of the heart muscle. These sensations are strictly individual.

One person feels the heart beating at 100 beats per minute, and another only at 120 - 130 beats per minute. Increased level palpitations have 2 causes.

Why does heart palpitation occur?

The first reason is tachycardia, when pulsation is felt not only in the heart, but also in the neck, head and fingers and toes. In a state of tachycardia, the pulse is higher than 90 beats per minute. With normal functioning of the heart muscle, the heartbeat should not be felt.

The second reason for a rapid heartbeat is a condition caused by colds, elevated body temperature, and emotional overload. Such attacks, when the heart beats quickly, occur in healthy people and do not carry pathological changes in the cardiac organ.

IN healthy body Increased heart rate may occur due to:


If a person’s heartbeat occurs suddenly and in a relaxed state and does not go away for a long time, then you need to undergo a full diagnosis and find out the cause of this pulsation. Perhaps the reason is a lack of vitamins in the body, potassium, iron, which provokes anemia. Also, a rapid heartbeat signals a disruption in the functionality of the endocrine organs and in the activity of the organs of the cardiac system.

Why does a heart attack occur in a calm state?

Very often, with audible beatings in the heart, there is pain in the chest, lack of air in the lungs and noise in the head and ears. These symptoms are temporary in their development and are not a consequence of heart disease. If symptoms recur regularly, this means that there is a pathology in the heart and you should consult a doctor - a cardiologist.

What to do if your heart beat is higher than normal? First aid

If such an attack occurs for the first time or very rarely and the person does not have any heart diseases or pathologies, then a number of measures can be taken to stop the heart pounding:


How to calm your heartbeat?

For quick removal symptoms of heartbeat, use Valerian tincture: 20 drops of tincture per 50 ml of water. Valerian will help not only lower the heart rate, but also calm the nerves, especially when an attack occurs at night and a person panics.

If your heart sometimes starts beating?

You can simply cough and the attack of tachycardia will pass.

Eye massage helps relieve heart palpitations

The massage must be done for at least 5 - 7 minutes:

  • Press the phalanges of your fingers on your closed eyes;
  • Apply compression for 10 - 15 seconds;
  • Pause between pressure techniques 10 - 15 seconds;
  • You need to repeat until the attack goes away.

Causes of tachycardia

Factors that provoke tachycardia may be some diseases of organs and malfunctions in systems in the body:

Increased heart rate in hypertension

At normal pressure Very rarely, attacks of increased heart rate occur, unless the cause is high body load or rapid movement.

Quite often, tachycardia is a consequence of high blood pressure. Often there may be hypertension of the second and third stages of the disease.

Heartbeat, rapid high blood pressure, the following actions are recommended:

  • Lie on the bed and relax your body;
  • Take a small amount of cold water;
  • Wash your face, neck and heart area with cold water;
  • If the cause of this attack is a stressful situation, then you need to take sedatives;
  • Take the drug - anaprilin;
  • To prevent tachycardia, eat foods with high content omega-3 (seafood and sea fish);
  • If there is a lack of potassium in the body, take vitamins and medications that contain potassium.

If the patient has an attack of tachycardia and the pressure is higher than normal, then you need to take medications for palpitations: Corvalol - 20 drops per 50 ml of water, Anaprilin - 1 tablet. After 10 - 15 minutes, a high heartbeat should pass. Attacks very often occur at night.

An attack of rapid heartbeat with low blood pressure

In people who suffer from hypotension, attacks of tachycardia occur quite often. In case of very low blood pressure and an attack of tachycardia, you need to drink at least 100 ml to provide first aid. cold water and wash your face and neck with cold water.

Symptoms of tachycardia occur due to pathologies in the body:

  • State of traumatic and anaphylactic shock;
  • Dystonia;
  • Large loss of blood during bleeding.

Signs and symptoms of the development of a strong heart rate in these pathologies:


Low blood pressure and heart pounding. This condition is quite dangerous for the body, which indicates a shock emotional state.

High heart rate in women during pregnancy

At the time of pregnancy in the body expectant mother There are hormonal changes and big changes in order to better body adapted to the state of pregnancy. During this period, a rapid heartbeat is the normal state of a pregnant woman during this period (100 beats in 60 seconds or more).

But there are cases when tachycardia is accompanied by unpleasant and dangerous symptoms:

  • Nausea leading to vomiting;
  • Dizziness;
  • Severe headache;
  • Cramps in the stomach;
  • Pain and spasms in the chest and heart muscle;
  • Fainting;
  • Attacks of groundless fear and causeless feelings of anxiety.

It will help to get rid of the cause of such symptoms positive mood, walks in the fresh air, relaxing with family and drinking enough clean water for the body.

During the period of bearing a child, a woman must also take care of the condition of the fetus. The pulsation frequency in a fetus is 2 times faster than in an adult. At the 5th week of fetal development, ultrasound diagnostics may show tachycardia in the unborn child. More than 200 beats per minute.

Hypoxia may be the cause of high heart rate. And this is a consequence of the expectant mother spending a long period of time in a stuffy room. Also due to the increased activity of the pregnant woman. Long period hypoxia leads to underdevelopment of the nervous system and pathology in the endocrine system.


Attacks of strong heartbeat in women during pregnancy very often arise from a deficiency of iron in the body of the expectant mother, and the cause of a high pulse can be the disease anemia.

There are often cases when tachycardia occurs due to hypervitaminosis, when a pregnant woman takes vitamins uncontrollably and in large quantities. An overdose of vitamins can negatively affect the development of the unborn child.

An attack of tachycardia in the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with hormonal changes and emotional stress. Also a factor in the rapid beating of the heart is an insufficient amount of potassium in the body of a pregnant woman.

In the second trimester, a woman gains weight, which increases the load on the heart muscle and vascular system.

What causes heart rate to jump in childhood?

A child's pulse beats faster than an adult's heart. And the younger the child, the faster the heart beats.

Causes of increased heart rate in children:


If tachycardia is caused by a super load on the child’s body, then it goes away on its own. You just have to relax and unwind.

But tachycardia can also be a consequence of serious heart pathology: cardiac arrhythmia, myocarditis, even heart failure.

What does an increased heart rate mean when you wake up in the morning?

With cardiac pathologies, a paroxysmal type of tachycardia may develop, which is accompanied by severe headache, dizziness and nausea. At severe attack rapid heartbeat may cause pain in chest, convulsions and fainting.

Treatment of strong heartbeat

Treatment of high heart rate begins with diagnosis and identification of the causes of tachycardia. And a cardiologist based diagnostic examination prescribes a course of drug therapy. It is very important to eliminate the cause of the disease and relieve the patient of the symptoms that tachycardia causes: an attack of nausea, headaches, an attack of shortness of breath and fainting.

A diagnostic examination should be carried out not only by a cardiologist, but also by consultation with such specialists: an endocrinologist, a neurologist and a psychotherapist.

Two methods are used for treatment: therapy with medications and therapy with drugs based on medicinal plants and medicinal herbs.

group of drugsNamedosagecourse of therapy
cardiac glycosidesDigoxinmaximum daily dosage 1.5 mg, divided into 2 - 3 dosescourse of treatment up to 7 calendar days
beta blockersAtenololmaximum dosage for an adult patient - 200 mg per daythe course of therapy is individual and established by a cardiologist
sedativesSedasen1 tablet, 2 times a day or 2 tablets once a daycourse of admission 14 calendar days
antioxidantsPreductal35 mg of the drug 2 times a day with mealsadmission course up to 90 calendar days

Treatment with products based on medicinal plants and medicinal herbs

To treat high heart rate at home, the following plants are used: mint (leaves and stems), lemon balm (leaves and stems), chamomile flowers. Also widely used: St. John's wort, hawthorn (flowers and fruits), motherwort, valerian (leaves and roots). These medicinal plants have a sedative effect and can reduce heart rate and relieve unpleasant and painful symptoms of this disease.

For palpitations, these plants can be taken in collections in the form of decoctions, infusions and herbal teas.

To prepare tea, you can use a collection of medicinal herbs, and also consume one of the herbs. To do this, you need to pour 5 grams of herbs or a mixture of herbs into 200 ml of boiling water. Let stand for 10 minutes and drink like regular tea, adding honey to taste. The daily dose of this tea is no more than 600 ml.


Medicinal decoction mixture of herbs: valerian root, lemon balm leaves and yarrow leaves. All herbs should be taken in 5 grams. Pour this mixture into 1000 ml of water and steam in a water bath for 40 - 45 minutes. Wrap it up and let the broth cool. Filter and drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day before meals.

Infusion of hawthorn fruits. 10 grams of crushed fruits of the plant pour 200 ml boiled water and cook over low heat until 50% of the liquid has evaporated. Cool this infusion. Take 20 - 25 drops of this extract per 50 ml of water before meals.

From hawthorn flowers also for healing therapy you can prepare a decoction. Pour 5 grams of flowers into 200 ml of boiled water and steam in a water bath for 15 - 20 minutes. Wrap up and let the broth brew. Filter and consume 100 ml 2 times a day.

Mix 10 grams of motherwort herb, mint, and hawthorn flowers. Take 10 grams of this mixture and pour 300 ml. boiled water. After 30 minutes, filter and take 100 ml 3 times a day with meals.

Treat tachycardia folk remedies no less than 30 calendar days are required.

Video: Tachycardia

Strong heartbeat in in good condition without pathologies, it manifests itself during physical exercise, intense work or under the influence of emotional shocks. Increased heart rate is also affected by taking certain medications and certain drinks - strong tea, coffee.

These are physiological reasons, after which the heart function returns to normal. The feeling of a strong heartbeat for no apparent reason should be very alarming. Intense work of the heart requires oxygen, the organ pumps blood faster, and there is a risk of myocardial infarction.

Strong heartbeat - what to do

Almost any infectious disease is initially accompanied by an increase in heart rate.

An increased heart rate may be normal in the following cases:

  • overeating;
  • taking certain medications;
  • drinking strong drinks;
  • increased body temperature;
  • taking energy drinks;
  • allergy;
  • childhood;
  • late stages of pregnancy;
  • menopause

Smoking also increases your heart rate.

A disruption of the normal rhythm can be caused by:

  • obesity;
  • overwork;
  • increased blood pressure;
  • nightmares;
  • stress and neuroses;
  • poisoning by toxins.

After eliminating these factors, the heart rate returns to normal. But there are diseases or conditions in which a constant rapid pulse is possible, that is, a rapid heartbeat is a pathology:

  • disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system;
  • blood diseases;
  • peptic ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • heart defects;
  • oncological diseases;
  • arrhythmia;
  • cardiosclerosis;
  • myocardial dystrophy.

Important! Flashes or bouts of rapid heartbeat indicate developing cardiovascular diseases, thyroid diseases, hormonal disorders, and ignoring them can be dangerous.

Tachycardia is the name given to increased heart rate when the heart rate is more than 90 beats per minute. A person feels a change in heart rhythm due to premature and sometimes additional contractile impulses of the myocardium. A strong heartbeat can also be a concern if it increases slightly.

A surge in increased heart rate with beats of 130 or more per minute is called an attack of paroxysmal tachycardia; the heart rhythm does not break down. A person feels not only an increased heartbeat, but also such phenomena as:

  • weakness;
  • chest pain;
  • dyspnea;
  • dizziness;
  • state of fear;
  • lowering blood pressure.

External changes may also appear:

  • pale skin;
  • change in lip color;
  • pulsating veins in the neck.

Paroxysmal tachycardia is divided into two forms: ventricular and supraventricular; An electrocardiographic study is necessary for a correct diagnosis.

Tachycardia and high blood pressure

For intense physical activity and mental arousal, the combination of a rapid heart rate and high blood pressure is normal. At the same time, adrenaline is released, which affects the heart rhythm.

The absence of other negative symptoms indicates a response from the body. In the case of unpleasant manifestations of various types, a strong heartbeat coupled with high blood pressure indicates:

  • anemia;
  • oncology;
  • disorders of the thyroid gland.

For accurate diagnosis Consultation with a specialist, cardiologist, endocrinologist is necessary.

Tachycardia and low blood pressure

Increased heart rate and low blood pressure are characteristic of the following conditions:

  • myocardial infarction;
  • poisoning by toxins;
  • severe blood loss;
  • anaphylactic shock;
  • mixed or hypotensive type of neurocirculatory dystonia.

Myocardial infarction can occur due to existing heart defects or as a result of blockage of the vessel that supplies blood to the myocardium. Patients at risk:

  • men;
  • smokers;
  • those suffering from hypertension;
  • having excess weight;
  • alcohol abusers;
  • patients with diabetes mellitus;
  • suffering from rheumatic heart disease.

Neurocirculatory dystonia develops against a background of constant stress, lack of sleep, chronic infectious diseases, and hormonal changes in the body also influence its occurrence.

Treatment for palpitations

Antipyretics help with infectious and colds; lowering the temperature eliminates palpitations. An attack of tachycardia can help relieve cold water, it is recommended to drink it in small sips, holding your breath. You can also wash your face with ice water.

As first aid to eliminate supraventricular tachycardia, the patient himself can do the following: strain at the moment of full inspiration. Medical worker to relieve an attack, he performs a massage procedure on the carotid sinus (the site of expansion of the internal carotid artery), pressing carotid artery in a patient lying on his back. If none of the methods is effective, medications are administered.

Medicines that can normalize heart rhythm are quite varied.


Important! Before taking any drug, you should definitely consult a doctor, since in a particular case a certain type of drug may not be suitable and may cause even more serious disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

For example, an attack of paroxysmal tachycardia in patients with congenital anomaly- premature ventricular excitation syndrome - it is not recommended to treat it with verapamil, since there is a high risk of increased heart rate. To relieve a burst of ventricular tachycardia, verapamil is not used because it is not effective.

Table. Medicines for palpitations.

NamePurpose, action

Used to eliminate an attack of ventricular tachycardia. It is an anesthetic, dilates blood vessels, blocks sodium channels, which gives an antiarrhythmic effect.
Beta blockers

Rapid decrease in blood pressure, dilates blood vessels.

Reduces heart rate and blood pressure during exercise and at rest.

Used for hypertensive crisis, the drug reduces heart rate at rest and during physical activity.

Reduces the need for oxygen in the heart muscle. Used for the treatment and prevention of paroxysmal cardiac arrhythmias.
Calcium channel blockers

Used for supraventricular paroxysmal tachycardia as quick help. Prescribed to eliminate sinus tachycardia, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation.

Antiarrhythmic and antihypotensive effect. Improves blood supply to the myocardium.

Improves cerebral circulation, dilates blood vessels, is prescribed for vestibular disorders, after an ischemic stroke.
Sedatives

Indicated for tachycardia, neuroses, insomnia, high blood pressure, VSD.

Helps with sinus tachycardia, insomnia, irritability, and helps reduce blood pressure.

It has a calming effect and is indicated for VSD.
Tranquilizers

Prescribed for serious, persistent neuroses and psychopathy.

Indicated for neuroses, schizophrenia, insomnia.
Anticoagulants

Injections are prescribed for thrombosis of myocardial arteries, atrial fibrillation, angina pectoris.

Indicated for strokes and myocardial infarction.

Used to treat thrombosis caused by myocardial infarction.
Antiplatelet agents

Prescribed after myocardial infarction, significantly reducing the risk and frequency of recurrent heart attacks and strokes, and can also be used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Used when acute heart attack myocardium, chronic ischemic heart disease, as a prevention of heart disease in obesity, diabetes mellitus.

Prevention of thrombosis after stroke, myocardial infarction.

Electrical pulse therapy can be used to relieve an attack. Cardioversion is direct current exposure and is used for all types of paroxysmal tachycardia. The procedure is slightly painful, so anesthesia is usually used, but cardioversion is not used for atrial tachycardia because it is ineffective.

Quick help

During an attack, you need to take a few drops of a sedative, lie flat on a fairly hard surface, lower your arms and relax. You can hold your breath for a moment highest point inhale, this method helps within a few minutes.

At sudden attack persistent tachycardia, you should call an ambulance; the doctor, using an electrocardiograph, will find out the type of cardiac arrhythmia and provide appropriate assistance. If there is no effect, then hospitalization is performed, especially if the development of myocardial infarction is suspected.

If palpitations periodically appear and disappear, you need to seek outpatient examination. This is especially important in such cases:

  • each subsequent attack is more severe than the previous one;
  • blood pressure rises or falls sharply;
  • have thyroid disease;
  • the presence of chronic processes in the body;
  • during pregnancy;
  • There is hereditary diseases heart and rhythm disturbances.

You can fix it yourself healthy sleep, rest, get rid of bad habits, spend more time in the fresh air, do physical exercise and avoid stress, that is, get out of the risk zone for developing cardiovascular diseases.

Video - Rapid heartbeat. Energy and breathing practices