Under normal circumstances, the heart beats regularly and rhythmically, with a frequency of 60-100 beats per minute. If the heart loses this rhythm, it will make people feel uncomfortable, which is often called “panic”.
How does the heart beat?
There is a sophisticated system inside the heart that controls the heartbeat. The sinus node (the commander-in-chief) sends a signal, which is transmitted to the atria, causing them to contract, and then continues to transmit the signal to the ventricles, causing them to contract. In this way, the atria and ventricles alternate contractions to complete a heartbeat. Problems with either part of the heartbeat can cause arrhythmias.
What problems cause the heart to beat erratically?
A heartbeat may be caused by a change in the frequency, rhythm, or intensity of the heart’s activity or contractions. Sometimes, it is normal for healthy people to feel panic even during strenuous exercise, high tension or extreme mental excitement. In addition, there are many pathological factors that can lead to the feeling of “heartburn”.
1.Heart rhythm disorder
Sinus node misconduct
Too fast rhythm: If the heartbeat frequency exceeds 100 times/minute, it is sinus tachycardia.
Slow rhythm: if the heart rate is less than 60 beats/min, it is sinus bradycardia.
Irregular rhythm: a heartbeat that is fast and slow is called sinus arrhythmia.
Sinus node lesions (sick sinus node syndrome): a series of slow sinus arrhythmias caused by sinus node lesions.
In addition, when the command implodes and certain parts of the heart do not listen to the sinus node and preempt the signal causing the heart to beat, it is called preterm contraction or premature beat, which is also known as premature beat.
Misdirected signal transmission
If the sinus node is deprived of its command position and the signal transmission is disorganized, not in one direction, but repeatedly between two points, it can cause a rapid arrhythmia.
Atrial fibrillation (AF): frequency can reach 220-360 beats/min.
Ventricular fibrillation (ventricular fibrillation): When the ventricles fibrate rapidly, they cannot contract effectively to pump blood from the heart to the whole body, and the person will die from circulatory failure, which is the most serious heart rate arrhythmia.
In addition to disrupted signaling, another problem that can occur is conduction block. These include sinus atrial block, atrioventricular block, left bundle branch block and right bundle branch block.
2. Enhanced cardiac contraction caused by high power circulatory state
Physiological: such as strenuous exercise, large amount of tobacco/alcohol/coffee/tea stimulation, certain drugs such as atropine, aminophylline, adrenaline application, etc.
Pathological: such as hyperthermia, anemia, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, hypoxia, etc.
3.Cardiac lesions
Including hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, primary cardiomyopathy and some cases of congenital heart disease.
Warm tip: If persistent unexplained heartburn occurs, the best solution is still to seek medical attention in time and leave the symptoms to the doctor’s judgment.