It's no secret that the heart is a vital organ for a person. Any failures in its work affect the well-being and work of other body systems. Therefore, if symptoms appear that indicate the development of pathology, you should immediately contact a cardiologist. One of these manifestations is an uneven pulse. Every person experiences this condition at least once in their life. But in some cases, a similar symptom indicates a disease that cannot be started. The causes and treatment of irregular heart rhythms will be discussed below.
Major violations
Some people may experience an uneven pulse with a delay or, conversely, an accelerated heartbeat. Why does this deviation occur and why is it so important to pay attention to it? The fact is that the normal functioning of all organs andhuman tissues.
Pacemaker cells are responsible for maintaining this process at the proper level. They produce an electrical impulse that has a constant frequency. A wave of excitation occurs in the sinus and atrioventricular nodes, and then it is transmitted along the conductive paths (His bundle) to the corresponding parts of the heart. Muscles contract while doing this.
Irregular pulse is called arrhythmia. Such a deviation is associated with a violation of the conduction or formation of an excitation wave. A heart rate of 60-90 beats per minute is considered normal when the body is not subjected to significant physical exertion. Heart beats should occur at regular intervals. There are three main palpitations:
- Tachycardia. Pulse is fast.
- Bradycardia. The frequency of contractions is slow.
- Extrasystole. There are additional contractions against the background of a normal rhythm.
Rhythm disturbances may appear from time to time (called a paroxysm). Sometimes they are asymptomatic and quickly lead to a deterioration in the patient's condition. In some cases, such violations end in death. If such a condition is not a consequence of a pathology of the heart, then it responds well to treatment. If myocardial damage is present, the disease becomes chronic and requires constant therapy.
Tachycardia
Irregular heartbeat may bea consequence of tachycardia. This pathology has several varieties:
- paroxysmal (there are periods when the pulse becomes normal);
- recurrent (interruptions in the work of the heart are repeated);
- atrial fibrillation (occurs in people over 25, more often in old age);
- atrial flutter (prone to older people);
- ventricular (caused by cardiac factors, often coronary artery disease).
In 80% of cases, this pathology is explained by age-related changes. Focal or automatic tachycardias are explained by metabolic disorders. Because of this, the excitability of the pathways increases. Any impulses under such conditions is caused by muscle contraction. This type of tachycardia occurs in 10% of cases. In this case, an uneven pulse may appear in a child 10 years old or even younger. Treatment usually gives good results.
Causes and symptoms of tachycardia
Trigger tachyarrhythmia is caused by an electrical impulse that exceeds the normal level.
Causes of tachycardia may be as follows:
- Transformation of muscle into connective tissue (myopathy).
- Hypertrophy of chambers, cor pulmonale.
- Neoplasms that affect the heart.
- Intoxication (alcohol, nicotine, coffee).
- Kidney failure.
- Stimulants that act on the sympathetic nervous system.
In this case, a number of characteristic symptoms occur. The heart can beat intermittently, skipping beats. There may be a strong push. The rhythm quickens, becomes uneven. Under normal stress, a person feels tired. Breathing quickens, there is a feeling of lack of air (especially during physical exertion).
Patients also complain of darkening in the eyes, dizziness. Possible fainting. The pressure becomes unstable, tends to decrease. There may be pain in the region of the heart. In severe complications, symptoms of cardiovascular insufficiency appear. There is a risk of cardiac arrest.
Extrasystole
The pulse is uneven with interruptions may occur due to extrasystoles. It develops for the same reasons as tachycardia. Often such a pathology provokes a paroxysm of tachyarrhythmia. But more often this pathology does not have pronounced symptoms.
One of the first signs of extrasystole is an uneven pulse with a delay, interruptions in the work of the heart. The patient may feel an increased heart beat and stops, rhythm fading. It can be really scary. This situation requires immediate contact with a cardiologist or therapist.
If a patient has heart failure, the course of this disease worsens. The risk of death is greatly increased. In he althy people, isolated cases of extrasystoles can be observed. This situation does not require correction. But if such symptoms occur periodically, proper treatment is needed.
If extrasystole is due to damage to the heartmuscles, the doctor prescribes beta-blockers and ablation of high-frequency foci of extrasystoles.
Bradycardia
Patients may complain of an uneven pulse, as if the heart stops, with bradycardia. In this case, the heart rate does not exceed 60 beats per minute. Medical intervention is indicated in the case of ventricular-type bradyarrhythmia. This disease is due to abnormal impulse activity of the sinus node.
This disease is more common in older people. In the early stages, there are practically no symptoms. Only when the heart rate drops below 40 beats per minute does the person feel tired, as well as a number of other symptoms. Treatment in this case improves well-being, but it is not always possible for the patient to prolong life. The course of the disease is progressive.
Atrioventricular blockade may also occur. The process of conducting the excitation wave is disrupted. If the blockade reaches the 2nd-3rd degree of severity, there is a risk of cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of bradycardia are a decrease in heart rate, interruptions in its work and a feeling of stopping. Weakness becomes pronounced and gradually increases. A person cannot do even the most ordinary things. Blood pressure changes. There are episodes of its increase that are not amenable to therapy.
Consciousness is disturbed to deep fainting, there are pains in the chest. They are not related to physical activity. Often this disease is manifested by an uneven pulse at rest. Treatment depends on the stage and presence of clinicalsigns of bradyarrhythmia.
Common causes of pathology
Help for intermittent irregular heartbeats in the elderly or young depends on many factors. First of all, the doctor must establish the cause of the development of such a condition. The most common ones are:
- patient drinks a lot of coffee or energy drinks;
- low blood sugar;
- lack of potassium;
- pathology of the heart muscle;
- psychological problems.
One of the common causes of uneven heart rate is excessive coffee consumption. This drink contains caffeine, which speeds up the heartbeat. This substance also increases pressure, makes the pulse uneven. If the rhythm of the beat is fast, you need to give up coffee at least for a while or reduce its amount. You also need to exclude energy drinks, green tea and chocolate.
Lack of sugar can also cause irregular heartbeats. If this is the reason, you just need to eat 4-5 times a day. Need a hearty breakfast (oatmeal, buckwheat, lentils). Potassium deficiency is also a serious factor in the development of arrhythmias. This mineral helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Proper, balanced nutrition is essential for the proper functioning of the heart. The diet should contain foods rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium. An imbalance between these minerals leads to heart problems.
Other reasons
Irregular pulse may be due to other reasons. Often, psychological problems affect the functioning of the heart. Stress and anxiety have a significant impact on the cardiovascular system. At the moment of danger, stress, the body goes into a special mode. Forces are concentrated to perform quick actions. Because of this, the heart begins to work more actively. If stress is constant, the body works in overload mode for a long time. He spends energy on this, depleting the available reserves of resources.
As a result, the heart begins to work incorrectly. It can freeze, speed up or beat strongly. The rhythm is also broken. In this case, the patient is prescribed a course of sedatives, often of natural origin (for example, tinctures of valerian or motherwort). The attending physician also prescribes a course of drugs to normalize the heart rhythm.
Pathologies of the heart muscle can cause an uneven pulse. What to do in this case? Treatment is prescribed by a cardiologist after the patient undergoes appropriate diagnostic procedures. You will need to do an ultrasound of the heart and an ECG. In some cases, surgical treatment may be indicated.
Depending on the causes that caused heart rhythm disturbances, treatment may be prescribed. But in some cases, special therapy is not required. The patient is shown to normalize his mode of work and rest, as well as start eating properly, fully. It is worth remembering that self-medication in the event of heart rhythm disturbances can be life-threatening. This is a symptom of other pathologies that can be quite serious. So ignore itcan't.
What pathologies should be excluded?
A symptom of other pathologies is an uneven pulse with a delay. What to do in this case? You need to find the reason that led to the failure of the rhythm. In addition to external factors affecting the body, these may be internal causes:
- Osteochondrosis. If this disease develops in the cervicothoracic spine, it can affect the frequency and rhythm of heart contractions. This pathology is often observed in office workers with experience. They spend a lot of time sitting at the table. Because of this, they have problems with the spine.
- Thyroid disease. If there is a decrease in thyroid function, the heart rate decreases. If this gland, on the contrary, is characterized by hyperfunction, the pulse quickens. There may be serious problems in the work of the heart up to atrial fibrillation.
- Diseases of the liver and kidneys. Due to such a violation, insufficiently high-quality blood purification occurs. Therefore, any disease of these organs can lead to arrhythmias.
If the reason for the malfunction of the heart is the failure of the internal systems of the body, first eliminate these negative tendencies. Only then can the patient's condition improve.
Diagnosis
A fairly common problem is uneven heart rate. What to do if such a symptom occurs? First you need to contact a therapist or cardiologist. He will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis. The most common way to detect cardiac pathologiesare an ultrasound of the heart to identify its physical parameters and some characteristics of its work, as well as an ECG. The cardiogram allows you to consider the features of the heart rhythm.
In some cases, at rest, the heart works with little or no major abnormalities. But under load, the pathology becomes noticeable. In order not to miss the beginning of the development of the disease, other diagnostic methods are also used.
One of the most informative approaches is Holter monitoring. During the day, the patient carries a portable device. This recorder is invisible under clothing. He writes down the cardiogram during the day. The data is transferred to the computer. This allows you to accurately determine the features of the work of the heart and the rhythm of its work. The patient keeps a diary in which he indicates during which periods he rested and during which he experienced physical activity.
Basic treatment approaches
To get rid of such a problem as an uneven pulse, you need to follow the doctor's recommendations. Treatment is prescribed on an individual basis. Therapy is aimed at eliminating the underlying cause that caused the failure.
In addition, it is important to strengthen the heart and blood vessels. To do this, you need to do gymnastics, preferably in the fresh air. You can just walk daily, walking at least 5 km. Be sure to add swimming to your schedule. In the summer, this can be done in a river or lake, at sea. This will strengthen the heart muscle.
The diet must include foods that contain large amounts of magnesium and potassium. Food should bebalanced. Be sure to eat dishes from beef, liver, vegetables. We need prunes, fruits and juices, nuts, cereals. Alcohol, smoking and coffee should be banned. You can eat dark chocolate in moderation. You can't overeat. If there is excess weight, you need to get rid of it.
Avoid stressful, exhausting physical work. Staying for a long time in a standing or sitting position also negatively affects he alth. Therefore, in work, take breaks for a ten-minute charge. Take a contrast shower in the morning and evening. This will avoid heart problems, and will also have a positive effect on the work of the whole organism.
