You’ve probably heard the term ‘tachycardia’ at some point in your life. If not, tachycardia is a kind of abnormal heart rhythm. With tachycardia, your hearts beats more than 100 times a minute at rest. Normally, your heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute when you’re not active.
And considering your heart beats too often, it doesn’t have the time it needs to fill with blood between beats. This can be dangerous if your heart can’t supply all your cells with the blood and oxygen they need. No wonder you’re advised to seek urgent medical attention when this happens.
It is worth mentioning that there are different types of tachycardia you should know about. Some kinds of tachycardia can come back regularly and can be more serious. Tachycardias can be mild, while others can lead to issues that are moderately harmful. A medical practitioner can tell you which type of tachycardia you have and the ideal way to manage your condition.
So, how do you tell if you’re having tachycardia? Surprisingly, some people with tachycardia don’t have symptoms, while others may have mild to severe symptoms. Tachycardia may include; fast heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, and fainting, to mention a few.
That brings us to the question, what causes tachycardia? Your heart normally responds to electrical signals from your heart’s sinoatrial (SA) node. These signals control how often your heart beats. When you’ve had a scare or are very emotional, anxious, or exercising, your heart may send signals more frequently for a short time.
This is what we commonly refer to as sinus tachycardia and goes away when you calm down or rest. You may also have a fast heart rate from substance or tobacco use or from too much caffeine or alcohol. Among the most notable causes of tachycardia include; stress, dehydration, high blood pressure, low blood sugar, pregnancy, and anemia.
Without seeking the necessary treatment, certain types of tachycardia can cause your kidneys, liver or heart to fail. Tachycardia also can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart attack, cardiac arrest, and cardiomyopathy (weak heart muscle).
In this regard, your medical practitioner will ask for your medical history and perform a physical exam. They may also order tests like; Holter monitor, electrocardiogram (EKG), stress test, till table test, electrophysiology test, blood tests, cardiac imaging, or echocardiogram.
