Heart palpitations occur when a person is aware of their own rapidly beating or pounding heart. Most of the time, these palpitations go away soon and are not considered serious. However, in some cases it indicates a more serious heart problem.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Heart palpitations could indicate one form of heart disease called Mitral Valve Prolapse. The mitral valve is a valve in the heart located between the left atrium and left ventricle. It has two flaps, called cusps, which serve to guard the opening of the left ventricle. Chordae are thin strings that serve to attach the cusps to the ventricle. After the ventricle fills with blood, the cusps close again, preventing blood from flowing back from the ventricle into the atrium.
Mitral Valve Prolapse, or MVP, occurs when the cusps become enlarged and the chordae are too long. As a result, when the heart is pumping blood, the cusps don’t close properly – one of them falls back into the atrium, which causes blood to leak back into the valve. This blood leakage can sometimes cause palpitations. Usually, people affected with mitral valve prolapse won’t even know they have it; they will experience no symptoms or real problems for it, and as a result will never need treatment for it. Sometimes, however, the condition becomes so severe that it can lead to heart failure and an abnormal heart rhythm. When seeing a doctor for heart palpitations, he will most likely check to see if you have Mitral Valve Prolapse.
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is defined as the irregular beating of the heart. This can take place in several forms:
Tachycardia. This occurs when the heart beats too quickly, usually over 100beats per minute.
Bradycardia. With bradycardia, the heart beats too slowly, under 55 beats per minute in an adult.
Other arrhythmia problems include extra heartbeats or skipped heartbeats.
In general arrhythmia is not a cause for serious concern. However, when coupled with other heart problems, such as high blood pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, and atherosclerosis, it can lead to a more serious form of heart disease.
Other Causes of Palpitations
Sometimes, palpitations are caused by the following things:
Caffeine, nicotine, or illegal drugs
Exercise Anxiety or stress
Anemia (low levels of iron in the blood)
Hyperventilation
Certain medications (thyroid pills and beta blockers are common causes of palpitations) and supplements
These causes are fairly common. However, if you experience heart palpitations on a frequent basis, it is smart to see your doctor and discuss with him possible causes and whether or not the palpitations indicate a more serious problem.
How Are Palpitations Treated?
Not all palpitations require treatment. However, when combined with other forms of heart disease, they may need to be treated so they don’t lead to something more serious, like heart failure or a heart attack. The following are some of the more common causes of treatment for palpitations:
Pacemaker. A pacemaker is surgically inserted into the chest and helps decrease palpitations and the further risk of heart disease by helping the heart to maintain a steadier beat.
Cardiac defibrillation. Defibrillation delivers an electric shock to stop an abnormal heart beat and restore it to a normal rhythm. This is usually done in emergencies.
Surgery. Sometimes surgery is used to restore a normal heartbeat as well. Bypass surgery can sometimes correct palpitations, although it is not usually performed specifically for palpitations in general.