Many are interested in the question of what is tachycardia. This is a pathological condition associated with a change in heart rate. It poses a particular risk to young children and the elderly, as prolonged limiting vascular wall resistance can lead to cardiac arrest or sudden death syndrome.
What is tachycardia?
The state of the heart muscle of the human body, characterized by an increased heart rate (HR) of more than 100 beats per minute, is called tachycardia. In itself, it is not a disease, it is primarily a symptom. It can be physiological or pathological. Physiological (normal tachycardia) is characterized by an increase in heart rate due to the natural physical state with increased physical activity of a person or hormonal effects as a result of fear or excitement. It can also be caused by certain energy drinks, alcohol, caffeine, and certain medications. This condition does not threaten human he alth and is natural.
Pathological (increased tachycardia) is characterized by an increase in heart rate in the staterest, which may indicate violations of the functional systems of the body, primarily cardiovascular. Typical symptoms of pathology - an increase in heart rate of more than 90 - 100 beats per minute at rest, pulsation of the vessels of the neck, dizziness. Symptoms of increased tachycardia, first of all, indicate the onset of the development of serious diseases. In case of manifestation, it is recommended to undergo a medical examination in order to prevent the development of pathology and prescribe timely treatment.
Reasons
There are two main causes of tachycardia in humans in medicine:
- Intracardiac tachycardia - this type of disease is associated directly with internal damage to the cardiovascular system, as well as with cardiac pathologies.
- Extracardiac tachycardia is an external factor of the disease, namely, it is caused by great physical exertion, it appears with stress, vegetovascular dystonia, infectious diseases, and also with a sharp increase in body temperature.
The causes of tachycardia are different and are characterized by a huge spectrum of occurrence. Sometimes this condition is the norm and is caused by various emotional outbursts and physical activity. Also, external tachycardia can be caused by the use of drugs, nicotine, alcohol, energy drinks, drugs.
Internal tachycardia has a wider range of causes and usually needs to be treated. The main occurrence of this type of tachycardia is associated withdisorders in the work of the heart muscle. There are cases of tachycardia, characterized by an unidentified etiology, and it is classified as idiopathic. The cause of this type of pathology is not recognized by medicine. It is believed that it occurs in apparently he althy people and is not dangerous in itself.
Other reasons
Tachycardia can occur as a physiological phenomenon during stressful, emotional and physical exertion, with an increase in body temperature, tobacco use or alcohol intake.
In patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, sinus tachycardia occurs due to pathological conditions of the heart:
- ischemic disease;
- high blood pressure;
- acute heart failure;
- chronic heart failure;
- cardiomyopathy;
- congenital heart defects;
- and myocardial infarction.
In addition, the condition can be observed with the loss of large volumes of circulating blood, a decrease in hemoglobin levels. Tachycardia is more common in women.
Neurogenic variety
What is neurogenic tachycardia? This is a condition that is more prevalent in younger people. The causes of this type of tachycardia can be disorders of the autonomic nervous system:
- neuroses;
- psychosis;
- neurocirculatory dystonia.
Rapid heartbeat can cause febrile conditions in various infectiousdiseases (tuberculosis, tonsillitis, SARS).
There is also a pharmaceutical tachycardia caused by the use of certain groups of drugs (diuretics, hormones, caffeine, blood pressure drugs, and others).
Classification of pathology
Change in rhythm and heart rate over 90 bpm. called tachycardia. Such a heartbeat is considered normal if it was preceded by strong emotional stress or a change in physical activity.
The manifestation of a pathological condition at rest leads to a decrease in blood circulation, weakening the supply of oxygen to organs and tissues.
There are 2 types of tachycardia, based on the location of the focus of development:
- sinus;
- paroxysmal.
Violation of the transmission of electrical impulses from the sinoatrial node to the ventricles is characterized by nodal, or sinus. Most often signals the onset of heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction.
The paroxysmal form is subdivided into supraventricular and ventricular according to the location. The main factor in the development of such pathologies is the duplication of the starting impulse and the cyclization of excitation.
What is gastric tachycardia?
The cause of this pathology is the emergence of a source of excitation in the bundle of His and Purkinje fibers, accompanied by inflammatory or degenerative damage to the myocardium. The supraventricular type develops during overstimulationsympathetic nervous system. The source of the pathology is dystrophic changes, the effects of medications (quinidine), the formation of abnormal pathways for the transmission of nerve impulses of the heart.
Diagnosis of pathology
Tachycardia in most cases is diagnosed by taking an electrocardiogram of the heart. When establishing different types of pathologies, there are different specifics.
Key indicators for diagnosing different types of tachycardia:
- Sinus tachycardia is diagnosed when the heart rate is high and there is no change in ECG wave regularity.
- The diagnosis of sinoatrial reciprocal tachycardia is made in the presence of a pattern of sudden onset and end of arrhythmia attacks.
- The diagnosis of atrial tachycardia is made when there is a picture of the adjustment of the teeth on top of each other with a high pulse of up to 200 beats per minute. Also a sign is the blockade of impulses in the AV node without reducing the duration of the arrhythmia attack.
- The diagnosis of atrioventricular nodal reciprocal tachycardia is made in the presence of simultaneous activation of the active parts of the atria and ventricles during attacks of arrhythmia.
- Supraventricular tachycardias in conjunction with signs of early ventricular excitation syndrome.
The diagnosis of these tachycardias is made with a rapid decrease in the potential difference in the ventricles, after the cessation of an arrhythmia attack, which leads to their early excitation.
Methods of treating pathology
Modern medicine uses the following methodsfor the treatment of tachycardia:
- Pacemaker. It is a device implanted under the skin. When an abnormal heartbeat occurs, it electrically returns the heart to a normal rhythm.
- Cardiooverter-defibrillator. It is used when there is a risk of a tachycardia attack, which can affect the life of the patient. With the help of surgical intervention, an implant is mounted in the sternum that monitors any changes in the heartbeat. In which case, it will generate a current that restores a normal heartbeat.
- Surgical changes. To eliminate the extra path through which the electrical impulse passes, you need to perform open-heart surgery. A specialist creates a labyrinth consisting of scar tissue. Due to its inability to conduct electricity, it will prevent the passage of irregular electrical impulses that provoke some types of tachycardia. Usually this method is used when others have proven ineffective.
The use of these devices for tachycardia has only positive reviews, because they help to regulate the state of he alth and general well-being.
Drug treatment of tachycardia
Treatment of tachycardia is carried out on an outpatient basis and in a hospital. The complex of drugs for the correction of pathology is represented by several groups of sedatives, sedatives and strengthening the heart muscle. Tachycardia tablets are used as follows:
- Sedative - help reduce stress on the nervous system, reduceblood flow, relieve pressure on the capillary networks: "Corvalol", "Validol", "Corvalment", "Corv altab".
- Sedatives - inhibit the work of higher nervous activity, reduce muscle tone, help restore the natural level of blood pressure, cope with sleep disturbance: "Motherwort", "Phenazepam", "Glicised", "Valerian", "Novopassit", " Persen", "Barboval", "Gidazepam".
- Cardiac - affect the cause of the disease. Reduce heart rate, restore the natural level of blood pressure, strengthen the heart muscle, prevent rupture of capillary networks: Strofantin, Digoxin, Korglikon, Magne B6, Asparkam, Panangin.
- Calcium blockers - a microelement such as calcium, additionally stimulates the work of nerve fibers, muscle, vascular tissue, in large quantities causes involuntary convulsive contractions of large fibers. By blocking the entry of this microelement into the blood, it is possible to stop an attack for a short time, reduce the overall tension of the chest wall, and normalize heart rate. These are Verapamil, Isoptin.
- Beta-blockers as drugs for tachycardia. In the event that the disease is accompanied by a sharp jump in pressure, medicinal formulations are additionally prescribed that lower the blood pressure limits and restore the heart rhythm: Concor, Bisoprolol, Propranolol, Metoprolol, Carvedilol.
Drug treatment of tachycardia is a lengthy process that requires constant monitoring by medical professionals. Self-administration of familiar drugsdrugs, the combination of potent blockers with traditional methods or their incorrect use can lead to disability, death of the patient.
Folk remedies
Drug treatment of tachycardia at home is unacceptable, but treatment with folk remedies as an initial measure of therapy has proven itself well. It will help to quickly reduce and normalize the heart rate. But at the same time, you need to know the rules for using folk recipes. The following folk remedies are recommended for use:
- Oat juice. This juice is an effective remedy if this disease is accompanied by high blood pressure. Oat juice is squeezed from the aerial part of the plant and consumed half a cup 3 times a day.
- Tea with hawthorn. If you take this tea during the day, then the bouts of increased heart rate will soon leave you. Hawthorn is poured with boiling water along with other herbs and used instead of tea leaves.
- Cornflower tincture. One teaspoon of cornflower is brewed in a glass of boiling water and consumed half a glass before meals.
- If you have a high blood density, then in this case, brewing yellow sweet clover with other herbs will help to cope with the symptoms of tachycardia. When using this plant, patients observe the disappearance of signs of tachycardia, as well as the normalization of pressure. Sweet clover is brewed and taken as tea.
- Brewing fragrant lemon balm and drinking it throughout the day instead of a tea drink.
- Effective recipeis a mixture of lemon, honey (in a glass), almonds (18 cores) and tincture of valerian or hawthorn (10 grams each). All mix and take a spoonful on an empty stomach 15 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is repeated once a year.
- Kombucha infused with other herbs: heather, motherwort, foxglove, marsh belozor. The recipe includes 40 grams of all aromatic herbs. They are brewed in a volume of 3 liters and added to kombucha. Preparation of tincture lasts up to 8 days. Drink it 100 grams 3 times a day before meals.
Also, in the treatment of tachycardia with folk methods, alcohol tinctures are used:
- Hawthorn on alcohol. They take 20 grams of fruit per 200 grams of alcohol and insist for half a month. Take a teaspoon of tincture diluted in a glass, 3 times a day before meals.
- Elecampane on alcohol. Take 100 grams of dry matter and insist in half a liter of alcohol for a crescent. Apply a teaspoon 3 times a day before meals.
An effective way to treat this disease is to inhale and rub essential oils into the heart area. The recipe consists in mixing any essential oils, while their number should not exceed ten pieces. Mostly, essential oils have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, which helps to cope with an attack.
The choice of an effective folk remedy is selected empirically. Lighter herbal remedies will be useful in the prevention of the disease, and tincture of alcohol will help at any stage of the disease. At the same time, you should not abuse their use, because the active substances in herbs canlead to intoxication or severe relaxation. At the same time, if you drive a car, then you will have to refuse these tinctures.
These are the main recommendations, but do not forget about the quality of the diet. It should include a lot of fruits and berries, vegetables and fresh herbs, foods rich in vitamins and minerals. In order for the above measures to be effective, it is necessary to load the body with physical exercises, namely, it is recommended to carry out morning exercises and jogging. The effectiveness of folk remedies will depend on their combination, but in any case, they will not harm you. At the same time, it is worth keeping in mind that it is not recommended to skip taking a folk remedy. Remember, regularity in this business is the key to success.
First Aid
If a person has an attack of tachycardia, the pulse rate has accelerated and now becomes more than one hundred and twenty beats per minute, then you need to do the following:
- Call an ambulance, especially if the tachycardia happened not for the first time.
- Give the patient drugs for tachycardia.
- Breathe deeply - loosen tie, collar, open windows.
- Calm down and take, if possible, a horizontal position, continue to breathe deeply and evenly.
- If possible, wash your face with cold water. Or put your face in a basin of very cold water for a couple of seconds, and then the pulse will begin to calm down.
- Try pressing on the eyeballs until a sensation of pain appears. There is such a Dagnini-Ashner reflex that helps to slow down the heart rateby pressing on the eyeballs. However, if the patient wears contact lenses, then be sure to remove them before pressing.
As you can see, there are many reasons why tachycardia manifests itself in the majority of the population in adulthood. Therefore, starting from a young age, preventive measures should be taken.
