When to See a Doctor for Heart Palpitations?Warning Signs

Have you ever felt your heart racing, fluttering, or skipping a beat? These feelings can be unsettling, but there are chances that they can also be harmless. Heart palpitations often become noticeable when people experience stress, consume caffeine or are dehydrated.

There are some cases, though, where palpitations can signal an underlying heart condition that requires medical attention.

Seeking professional medical assistance at the right time remains essential for maintaining your heart health. In this blog, we will be providing important warning indicators that signal the need to visit a doctor.

When to See a Doctor for Heart Palpitations?

Your understanding of physical signals alongside your ability to reach medical help will prevent critical health complications. Consulting a healthcare professional becomes necessary whenever you have doubts about your medical signs.

1. Palpitations Accompanied by Chest Pain or Discomfort

Your chest feels any sort of pain or discomfort and then after you feel heart palpitations, then it’s time to think about the condition and consult a professional.

2. Shortness of Breath or Dizziness

Heart rhythm irregularities that cause breathing problems and faintness and light-headedness require immediate medical attention.

3. Irregular Heartbeat (Arrhythmia)

You should consult with a healthcare provider to rule out heart rhythm disorders whenever you experience an unusually fast heartbeat called tachycardia or slow heartbeat known as bradycardia and it remains abnormal.

4. Palpitations That Last for a Long Time or Happen Frequently

The need for a doctor’s consultation becomes essential when palpitations continue beyond several minutes or repeat often. Irregular heartbeats that last over a persistent period could indicate arrhythmia and other possible heart complications.

Emergency service must be called at once whenever severe sudden palpitations happen. 

Doctors can diagnose the condition along with prescribing treatment through methods including ECG testing and blood tests or Holter monitoring. Apart from these, there are also some diagnostic tests and treatments that we will be discussing below.

Diagnostic Tests and Treatment for Heart Palpitations

A doctor begins heart palpitation diagnosis through complete medical evaluations and physical examinations of patients. Key diagnostic tests include:

1. Electrocardiogram (ECG): A doctor utilizes an Electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor heart electrical activity which detects irregular heart rhythms.

2. Event Monitor: The event monitor records your heart's electrical activity for extended periods. Compared to the Holter devices, it is used to detect occasional cardiac symptoms.

3. Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram provides images of the heart's structures through sound waves to show its operational state.

4. Holter Monitor: A portable Electrocardiogram device known as Holter Monitor helps detect heart rhythm irregularities through daily or extended wear periods.

5. Blood Tests: These are done to find out all the other essential issues related to the body that include electrolyte imbalances, anemia, and others. 

Depending on the condition, the doctor provides the required medication after a thorough check-up.

If you are getting heart palpitations for months, you must consult a cardiologist. Treating the source of non-cardiac heart issues such as anxiety and thyroid disorders normally helps you get rid of palpitations.

What to Avoid When Experiencing Heart Palpitations?

People who experience heart palpitations should eliminate specific triggers because this strategy reduces both the occurrence and intensity of the events. These factors should be avoided to help minimize heart palpitations:

1. Caffeine and Stimulants

There are certain foods to avoid if you have heart palpitations. Avoid consuming coffee drinks along with energy beverages and tea combined with specific soda products containing caffeine.

Stay away from these items particularly when you experience direct links between them and your heart palpitations.

2. Nicotine

Nicotine intake from smoking or additional products will drive your heart to beat at an irregular pace. The heart health of patients improves dramatically when they stop smoking.

3. Alcohol

People with heart conditions or arrhythmias commonly experience palpitations due to excessive alcohol consumption.

4. Stress and Anxiety

Avoid stress and anxiety that may cause heart palpitations. The fight or flight response from emotional stress activates the stress response, so your heart accelerates to dangerous levels.

Deep breathing combined with meditation or yoga can be a great answer for how to stop heart palpitations due to anxiety.

5. Medications and Supplements

Certain OTC cold medications, weight-loss supplements and decongestant drugs have stimulants that can activate fast heartbeats.

Make sure that you are always reading product labels and seeking help from healthcare professionals.

By avoiding these triggers, one can eventually manage heart palpitations and reduce their impact.

Get Timely Treatment to Avoid Complications!

If you are getting heart palpitations for months, it’s vital for you to consult an experienced professional. However, natural treatment of mild heart palpitations becomes possible through changes in lifestyle, such as reducing caffeine intake while managing stress besides maintaining hydration. However, continued or intensifying symptoms need medical assistance.

Expert cardiac treatment can be obtained from consulting the best cardiologist in Patna. Big Apollo Spectra Hospital in Patna stands as the top choice to receive full cardiac care services because it combines cutting-edge medical equipment with seasoned professionals. The hospital provides expert treatment plans through their professionals who utilize modern diagnostic equipment under their dedicated specialist medical team.

Your heart faces health threats when you disregard persistent cardiac symptoms. Consult the best cardiologists in Patna at Big Apollo Spectra to get proper treatment on time.