It's no secret that the heart is a vital organ for a person. Any failures in his work are reflected in the well-being and work of other body systems. Therefore, if symptoms occur that indicate the development of a pathology, you should immediately contact a cardiologist. One such manifestation is an uneven pulse. Every person experiences this condition at least once in a lifetime. But in some cases, a similar symptom indicates a disease that cannot be started. The causes and features of the treatment of heart rhythm failures will be discussed below.
Major violations
Some people may feel an irregular heartbeat with a delay or, conversely, an accelerated heartbeat. Why is there such a deviation and why is it so important to pay attention to it? The fact is that the normal functioning of all organs and tissues of the human body depends on the correctness of heart contractions, which must be rhythmic.
Pacemaker cells are responsible for maintaining this process at the proper level. They produce an electrical pulse that has a constant frequency. An excitation wave arises in the sinus and atrioventricular nodes, and then is transmitted along the conductive paths (His bundle) to the corresponding departments of the heart. The muscles contract.
An uneven pulse is called arrhythmia. Such a deviation is associated with a violation of the conduct or formation of an excitation wave. A heart rate of 60-90 beats per minute is considered normal when the body is not exposed to significant physical exertion. Heartbeats should occur after an equal period of time. There are three main disturbances in the rhythm of the heartbeat:
- Tachycardia. The pulse is frequent.
- Bradycardia The frequency of contractions is slow.
- Extrasystole. Additional contractions occur against the background of a normal rhythm.
Rhythm disturbances can occur from time to time (called paroxysm). Sometimes they are asymptomatic and quickly lead to a worsening of the patient's condition. In some cases, such violations result in death. If this condition is not a consequence of the pathology of the heart, then it is well treatable. If myocardial damage is present, the disease becomes chronic and requires constant therapy.
Tachycardia
An irregular heartbeat may be due to 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 (found in people over 25 years old, more often in old age);
- atrial flutter (susceptible to people in old age);
- ventricular (caused by cardiac factors, often coronary heart disease).
In 80% of cases, this pathology is due to age-related changes. Focal or automatic tachycardia due to metabolic disorders. Because of this, the excitability of the pathways increases. Any impulses in such conditions cause 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, as a rule, gives good results.
Causes and symptoms of tachycardia
Trigger tachyarrhythmia is caused by an electrical impulse that exceeds a normal level.
The causes of tachycardia can be as follows:
- Transformation of muscle into connective tissue (myopathy).
- Chamber hypertrophy, pulmonary heart.
- Neoplasms that affect the heart.
- Intoxication (intake of alcohol, nicotine, coffee).
- Renal failure.
- Stimulants acting on the sympathetic nervous system.
In this case, a number of characteristic symptoms occur. The heart can beat intermittently, skipping beats. An amplified shock may appear. The rhythm becomes more frequent, 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. Pressure becomes unstable, prone to decline. Pain in the area of the heart may be observed. In severe complications, symptoms of cardiovascular failure appear. There is a risk of heart failure.
Extrasystole
The pulse is irregular with interruptions can occur due to extrasystole. It develops for the same reasons as tachycardia. Often such a pathology provokes paroxysm of tachyarrhythmia. But more often this pathology does not have pronounced symptoms.
One of the first signs of extrasystole is an irregular pulse with a delay, interruptions in the work of the heart. The patient may feel increased heart beat and stops, and the rhythm fades. It can really scare. This situation requires an immediate visit to a cardiologist or therapist.
If the patient has heart failure, the course of this disease worsens. The risk of death is greatly increased. In healthy people, isolated cases of extrasystoles can be observed. This situation does not require correction. But with the periodic occurrence of such symptoms, proper treatment is needed.
If the extrasystole is due to damage to the heart muscle, the doctor prescribes beta-blockers and ablation of high-frequency foci of extrasystole.
Bradycardia
Patients may complain of an irregular pulse, as if the heart is beating, with bradycardia. In this case, the heart rate does not exceed 60 beats per minute. Medical intervention is indicated for ventricular bradyarrhythmias. This disease is due to abnormal impulse activity of the sinus node.
Such a disease is more common in older people. In the early stages, the symptoms are practically absent. Only when the heart rate decreases less than 40 beats per minute does a person feel tired, as well as a number of other symptoms. In this case, treatment improves well-being, but the patient does not always succeed in prolonging life. The course of the disease is progressive.
Atrioventricular blockade may also occur. The process of conducting an excitation wave is disrupted. If the blockade reaches the 2-3rd degree of severity, there is a risk of cardiac arrest.
Symptoms of bradycardia are a decrease in heart rate, interruptions in his work and a feeling of stopping. Weakness becomes pronounced and gradually grows. A person cannot do even the most ordinary things. Blood pressure is changing. There are episodes of its increase that are not amenable to therapy.
Consciousness is disturbed to deep fainting, chest pain occurs. They are not associated with physical activity. Often this disease is manifested by an uneven pulse at rest. Treatment depends on the stage and the presence of clinical signs of bradyarrhythmia.
Common causes of pathology
Assisting with an irregular heartbeat with interruptions in the elderly or young people depends on many factors. First of all, the doctor must establish the reason for the development of this condition. The most common of them are:
- the 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 irregular heartbeats is excessive coffee consumption. This drink contains caffeine, which accelerates the heartbeat. This substance also increases pressure, makes the pulse uneven. If the rhythm of the heartbeat is fast, you need to give up coffee at least temporarily or reduce its quantity. You also need to exclude energy, green tea and chocolate.
A lack of sugar can also cause an uneven heartbeat. 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 arrhythmia. This mineral helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Proper, balanced nutrition is crucial 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
An uneven pulse can be the result of other reasons. Often, psychological problems affect heart function. Stress and anxiety have a significant effect on the cardiovascular system. At the time of danger, tension, the body goes into a special mode. Forces are concentrated for quick action. Because of this, the heart begins to work more actively. If the stress is constant, the body works in overload mode for a long time. He spends energy on it, depleting the available reserves of resources.
As a result, the heart begins to work incorrectly. It can freeze, speed up, or beat hard. 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 irregular heartbeat. What to do in this case? Treatment is prescribed by a cardiologist after the patient undergoes appropriate diagnostic procedures. It will be necessary to do an ultrasound of the heart and an ECG. In some cases, surgical treatment may be indicated.
Depending on the reasons that caused the rhythm disturbances in heart contractions, treatment may be prescribed. But in some cases, special therapy is not required. The patient is shown to normalize his regime of work and rest, and also to start eating properly, fully. It is worth remembering that self-medication in the event of cardiac arrhythmias can be life-threatening. This is a symptom of other pathologies that can be very serious. Therefore, it cannot be ignored.
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 can be internal causes:
- Osteochondrosis. If this disease develops in the cervico-thoracic spine, it can affect the frequency and rhythm of heart contractions. Such a 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. Serious problems in the work of the heart can occur, up to atrial fibrillation.
- Diseases of the liver and kidneys. Due to such a violation, insufficient blood purification occurs. Therefore, any diseases of these organs can lead to arrhythmias.
If the cause of the malfunction of the heart is a malfunction of the internal systems of the body, first eliminate these negative trends. Only then can an improvement in the patient's condition be expected.
Diagnostics
A rather common problem is an uneven pulse. 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 ways to identify cardiac pathologies are by ultrasound of the heart to identify its physical parameters and some characteristics of its work, as well as an ECG. A cardiogram allows you to consider the features of the heart rhythm.
In some cases, at rest, the heart works almost without any serious deviations. But with a load, the pathology becomes noticeable. In order not to miss the onset 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 records a cardiogram during the day. Data is transferred to the computer. This allows you to accurately determine the features of the heart and the rhythm of its work. The patient keeps a diary in which he indicates in which periods he rested and in which he experienced physical activity.
The main approaches to treatment
To get rid of such a problem as an uneven pulse, you need to follow the doctor’s recommendations. Treatment is prescribed according to an individual scheme. Therapy is aimed at eliminating the root cause of the failure.
In addition, it is important to strengthen the heart and blood vessels. To do this, do gymnastics, preferably in the fresh air. You can just walk daily, passing 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 a large amount of magnesium and potassium. Food should be balanced. Be sure to eat dishes of 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, debilitating physical work. Staying for a long time in a standing or sitting position also negatively affects health. Therefore, at work, take breaks for a ten-minute charge. Take a contrast shower in the morning and evening. This will avoid heart problems, and also positively affect the work of the whole organism.