What Happens When Your Heart Beats Too Fast?

Did you know that an American dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease? Roughly 659,000 US citizens die from heart disease each year which is 25% of deaths.

Do you know what happens when your heart beats too fast? Sudden heart palpitations can be completely normal or cause for concern depending on the situation. It’s important to know the difference if your heart is beating fast.

The following guide will explain what causes a rapid heartbeat, why it beats fast, and what to do if you’re experiencing this symptom. Read on to make sure your hardest-working muscle is safe.

What Happens When Your Heart Beats Too Fast?

Regular heartbeats are between 60 to 100 times per minute. The condition is called tachycardia when your heart beats over 100 times. Your heart may not pump enough blood to the rest of your body when beating this quickly.

Tachycardia may deprive your vital organs and tissues of necessary oxygen and cause shortness of breath and lightheadedness. Other symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain, or even fainting in some cases.

Causes of a Rapid Heartbeat

You aren’t necessarily in danger if you’re experiencing a racing heartbeat. There are several common causes, such as heavy exercise, low blood sugar, and low blood pressure.

Stress, panic attacks, fear, and anxiety all increase your heart rate. If you panic over heart palpitations, it may cause even more stress. Try to calm down and take deep breaths if you know you’re feeling stressed.

Fevers, anemia, and dehydration also cause your heart to beat faster. Pregnancy and even menstruation contribute to this as well.

Excessive amounts of alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine increase heart rate.
Drugs like ecstasy, methamphetamines, or cocaine may increase heart rate to dangerous levels.

Keep a list of symptoms and try to match them to your activities. If you can’t explain your racing heart with exercise, stress, or find any other obvious reasons, you may need to consult a doctor.

Rapid Heartbeat and Heart Disease

Unfortunately, an irregular heartbeat may also be linked to a serious heart condition. Doctors give an EKG, chest X-ray, or echocardiogram to diagnose what’s wrong in these cases.

Serious conditions include heart failure, a previous heart attack, coronary artery disease, and problems with valves or muscles.

Atrial fibrillation is another potentially life-threatening heart condition to look for. This condition may also increase your chances of having a stroke. 1 in 6 people have this condition, and half of those people aren’t aware.

A-Fib causes an irregular heartbeat to let blood build up in the upper chambers of the heart. The pooling may cause stroke-inducing blood clots. If you think you have this condition, see here for more information and take action immediately.

Pay Attention to Your Heart

Now you know what happens when your heart beats too fast. Some causes aren’t a big concern, and others may require immediate attention. Remember this guide, and always pay attention to what your heartbeat is telling you.

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