Palpitations?

[MikeHeim]

I have a general group question - What are Palpitations? By palpitations I am of course talking about the "pounding heart" feeling that most people are familiar with. I asked my Cardiologist and did a lot of independant internet research and didn't get a very clear answer. The most common information that I was able to find basically said that Palpitations themselves are not a problem. It is the fact that they are typically a symptom of bigger issues that makes them a problem. However, nobody really mentioned what might actually cause them.

Personally, I had them all the time prior to my surgery. After my surgery, I still had them quite a bit, but the have mostly diminished with time. I still do, however, get them occasionally (especially when I'm laying down). Regardless, I'm not concerned, but I was just wondering if anyone knew what caused them. Is the heart really beating "harder", or does a persons position make them more suseptible to making them notice their own regular heartbeat? Does the fact that my heart was enlarged prior to surgery and took quite some time to reshape post-op cause Palpitiations to be felt? Maybe I always had them but didn't really pay attention until I knew I had heart problems. Any input is welcome.

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Mike -

My opinion is that the causes for palpitations are not completely and definitively known. That is probably because I've read so many conflicting opinions about them.

I know that post-op (A-fib excluded), I get more apparently innocuous palpitations if I have not been exercising regularly. If I just ride my exercise bike or walk for several days, that apparently strengthens/tightens my heart enough that I'm not bothered with them. I'm thinking that these must not be dangerous palpitations if just a few days of working out chases them right away.

Pre-op, however, exercise seemed to encourage/exacerbate them and they would knock the wind out of me. I think those were dangerous. (edit - One event monitor caught some V-tach then.)

 

[Turkey Hunter]

Hey Mike,
Palpitations are defined as:

Irregular, rapid beating or pulsation of the heart

With that being said my oppinion of palpitations is any abnormal rythm or arythmia. i.e. PVC's & PAC's. I don't believe that a-fib or v-fib fall into the catogory of palpitations; I believe those and some others fall into more serious arythmia's.

Just my thoughts.

Ben

 

[MikeHeim]

Here's the definition from the National Institute of Health:

"Palpitations are heartbeat sensations that feel like pounding or racing. You may simply have an unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat. You may feel skipped or stopped beats. The heart's rhythm may be normal or abnormal. Palpitations can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck."

I was speaking mostly about the "unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat".

 

[lynn]

I don't know what they are but I got em!!!

 

[tobagotwo]

Borrowed some of this from one of my old posts...it might help a little:

The key isn't really whether you have them, but what kind they are. Often, when a valve is getting closer to needing replacement, the growth of the left ventricle can affect how smoothly the electrical impulses pass through the growing muscle tissue and how precisely the tissue responds to them. The same happens when the heart remodels (shrinks back to its normal size) after surgery.

Palpitations generally refer to PACs and PVCs (Premature Atrial or Ventricular Contractions), which are extra beats, named for their points of origin. They are referred to as being benign, as they cause no apparent damage and affect the bloodflow in only the most minimal amount.

PVCs and PACs are noticed more often by valve patients because of our coronary hyperaesthesia. We are extremely aware of everything going on with our hearts. However, they are very common in - if less noticed by - people who are not heart patients as well.

Short-term tachycardia (fast heartbeat) and "skipped beats" fall into the general category of palpitations also, being annoying but largely benign.

In any description of PVCs and PACs, you will find cardiac valvular issues listed as a primary cause.

I agree that AFib and VFib (atrial and verntricular fibrillation) don't belong with this group, as they can become more serious and can interfere with bloodflow and oxygenation. Ventricular tachycardia (VTach), in which the ventricles have a very rapid beat out of synch with the atria, is a potentially deadly arrhythmia. It's sometimes prefaced by "couplets" or "triplets," which are multiple ventricular beats per one atrial contraction. However, it's pretty unusual, occurring in only two out of ten thousand people, and unmistakeable in its intensity, usually causing fairly rapid syncope (fainting).

The "do-it-yourself" remedy for arrhythmias is to cough deeply. It doesn't always work, but it's the best thing to try in an immediate situation. No reason to do it for brief sets of palpitations, though.

If you have excessively long bouts of palpitations, or they are accompanied by dizziness or pain, or you're just plain getting worried about them, you can ask your cardiologist to put you on a Holter monitor overnight, to determine what type they are. At least then you can sleep peacefully, knowing what their nature is.

Best wishes,

 

[Susan BAV]

...The "do-it-yourself" remedy for arrhythmias is to cough deeply. It doesn't always work, but it's the best thing to try in an immediate situation. No reason to do it for brief sets of palpitations, though...

This [coughing] really works too, but only to a point.