Like many of you, the first thing I did when I first realized that my heart was skipping a beat was look online for what was happening to me. And, yep, my suspicions were confirmed…I was going to die. At least that what every website seemed to tell me. I’m sure there were statements about most palpitations being harmless, but all I read were the parts about having a heart attack or my heart stop beating and falling over dead. WebMD is great for some things I’m sure, but checking symptoms is not one of them. All roads seem to lead to disease or death.
Photo Credit: Yosep
Most Palpitations are Harmless
So before we go any further, I just want to make it clear that MOST HEART PALPITATIONS ARE HARMLESS. And this isn’t jet me talking, this is according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. There are some very serious medical conditions that can cause heart palpitations, so that is obviously where the confusion, terror, anxiety, and panic come in.
But don’t panic. If you are having chest pains or are dizzy, light headed, or have shortness of breath, by all means, seek medical attention and get checked out to be safe. But if you have already been down that road before or you are just noticing a few occasional palpitations without any other symptoms, remember that for the vast majority of us our palpitations are harmless and not life-threatening.
The Difference Between Palpitations and Irregular Heartbeats
Did you know that there is a difference between heart palpitations and an irregular heartbeat (or “Cardiac Dysrhythemia)? I didn’t. A heart palpitation is the subjective sensation one gets when that person feels an change in the regular beating of their heart. Often times it is accompanied by an increased heart rate, dizziness, or difficulty breathing. An irregular heartbeat, on the other hand, is when there is actually something wrong with the rhythm of the heart. In other words, an irregular heartbeat may cause heart palpitations, but not all heart palpitations are irregular heartbeats. So a person may have irregular heartbeats but may not have palpitations. Likewise a person may have heart palpitations but not heart irregularities.
The Different Types of Irregular Heartbeats
I won’t go into too much detail about the different types of irregular heartbeats since you can find this information all over the web (and I am by no means a medical professional). As a matter of fact, it is probably the first thing you read about when you look up heart palpitations. But I wanted to list them out so we can all be aware of the terminology since there are many of us here on this site with different causes of our palpitations. This is a very simplified, plain english version of each term:
- Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs) occur when electrical cells in the atria begin to fire an electrical signal telling the heart muscle in the atria (the top chambers of the heart) to contract before it’s supposed to (our normal electrical impulse signal comes from the Sinoatrial (SA) node – our God-given pacemaker). This causes the pause, flutter, palpitation, or whatever you want to call it. PACs are fairly normal and generally harmless unless you have an underlying health issue like heart disease.
- Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are premature heartbeats that come from the ventricles (the lower chambers) of the heart. Right after a premature ventricular contraction, our heart’s electrical system resets which causes a brief pause making it seem like our heart stops beating for a second. Like PACs, PVCs are fairly common and can occur in normal hearts. Absent any major issues with your heart (like heart disease or structural issues), PVCs are generally harmless.
- Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) is when there is random, chaotic electrical activity in the atria along with irregular, rapid beats from the ventricles. With A-Fib, the atria just quivers instead of pumping regularly, which means the ventricles can’t pump as much blood.
- Atrial Flutter (A-Flutter) is like atrial fibrillation except that the rapid electrical impulses occur in a regular pattern, rather than a chaotic, uncoordinated manner. Often times, atrial flutter evolves into atrial fibrillation.
- Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) is an abnormal fast heart rhythm that starts in atria (the upper chambers) of the heart. SVT is often an generic term for any arrhythmia that originates above the ventricles. With supraventricular tachycardia, abnormal electrical impulses cause the heart to beat too fast. Generally, with SVT, the heart beats faster than 100 beats per minute, but usually returns to a normal rate (60 to 100 beats per minute) on its own or with treatment.
- AV Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT) is a type of tachycardia (fast rhythm) of the heart that occurs above the Bundle of His (just a term for a group of heart muscle cells located near the center of the heart). It is the most common type of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).
- Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT) is a rapid heart rate, which begins and ends suddenly. The electrical impulse comes from a place above the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart). PSVT mostly occurs in young people and infants.
- Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (NSVT) are simply short bursts of an accelerated heartbeat (three or more in a row). This is fairly common for people to experience.
- Paroxysmal Atrial Tachycardia (PAT) is a rapid, regular heartbeat originating in the atrium (upper chamber of the heart). PAT is an arrhythmia where the abnormality is in the electrical system of the heart, rather than the heart muscle or valves. PAT generally begins and ends abruptly and is rarely life-threatening, can cause lightheadedness, chest pain, anxiety, sweating and shortness of breath.
- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is when an abnormally large increase in heart rate occurs after a person changes from the laying down position to an upright position. POTS is generally non-life threatening, but can be disabling and debilitating at times.
- Ventricular Fibrillation (VF or V-Fib) is a very rapid, uncoordinated, ineffective series of contractions throughout the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). This is the really bad arrhythmia since it is often fatal. The ventricles begin to quiver and not pump blood. You would generally know if you have Ventricular Fibrillation since it is a form of cardiac arrest.
- Ventricular Tachycardia (VT or V-Tach) is a rapid heart beat (at least 100 beats) that originates in one of the lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart. Rapid ventricular beats are more serious than rapid atrial beats since they make the heart extremely inefficient and tend to result in more severe symptoms.
As you read the definitions above, keep in mind that it is nearly impossible to diagnose our own irregular heartbeat. So be sure you go to a Cardiologist and let them run tests to rule out anything serious. My cardiologist found that I have premature atrial contractions and premature ventricular contractions.
How about you? What type of irregular heartbeat do you have?
My cardiologist tells me, “You just have an extra heartbeat occasionally.” My electrophisioligist says I have PVC’s. Either way both tell me not to worry. Course that is easier said than done especially when you get runs of PVC’s. Thanks to your website and others similar to it I have learned to not panic so much.
Thanks Maiadab! Glad you enjoy the site. I agree it’s hard not to worry, especially when the palpitations get really bad. I think you’re smart to go to a cardiologist and a electrophisioligist. I think the benefit of having their opinions (even if not what you want to hear) is invaluable. Hopefully it gives you at least some peace of mind. I hope continue down the road to palpitation freedom!
How can you not worry about the thing thats keeping you alive is not behaving normally!!
Its like an engine, if it keeps having problems , eventually the car will stop. Thats my theory NOT. Something to scare you. I am mentally ill with terror. I want a hug and someone ro take it away and say irl be ok – like when mum used to when I was a little girl
I’ll tell you what, I love blogs. Reading medical journal stuff doesn’t give you the full experience of what other’s go through. Great stuff. Thank you.
Help me
I’ve been having heart palpitations a lot this year foru first time. Should I goto the er to be sure?
I need help I’m 25 and going threw these symptoms.
I’m curious if anyone is familiar with or had episodes of accelerated idioventricular rythmn. I was diagnosed with this not long ago.
Ive been in bed 18 months and live in utter terror due to afib and palps. Ive lost two stone and am a mental mess. No good going to GPS – everyone says I have to live with them. Im afraid to wash, use the bathroom and keave my bed. I havent sat down with my fan ppfamily for months and am so afraid of this ive no life. Its gone. Ded. The fear has made me a mental mess. No ody u derstands. The drugs dont work. I cannot live like this! I want my life back. Ive had palps for years just the odd one or two but after my first afib attack off 189-200bpm theyre everyday. Ive only ever had two of the fast heartbeats but palps everyday. Im so so sad i dont know what to do anymore. We had plans as a family to move to Spain but i feel guilty as I wont leave my bed apart from to sleep in the A&E car park 38 miles away as im scared beyond words. Im going to die from this and leave my children behind alone. Ive beggedand prayed forhelp ut nothing. Ive weitten my funeralplan . Echo says my xhambers are fine apartfeom a riny valve leak. I used to do karate, ride…allgone. Im crippled withthishorrid vile demon of a thing. I just lie n wait for thenext blip/ flutter/ thump/ palp/ jerks…. What life is this. I feel bitter and cant cope. Please help me someone x
Sorry for bad typos but i am sobbing so bad
Well mine pick up with stress I think andcanbe episodic but absent fainting etc all the doctors just kind of blow it off. Did have SVT because of panic attacks caused by PVCs and just….well my natural condition. Don’t know what else to do
I dont know why i bother with these sites. Not one person on here replied to my cry for help. I thought we were all meant to be here for each other. Thanks for all the replies !!!! All 0 of them
I hope one day you feel this way
Dont worry- i never got any help or replies. Ive left this site now. Seems to me they want it as an excuse to get their name online not help or discuss with others.
I am sorry you both are in such a worrisome state of living. I have all sorts of arrhythmia and had an ablation 10 yes ago and may soon have another. Ask your dr. For an ablation so you can stop some of your palpitations, even tho my arrhythmia were non life threatening 10 years ago, my cardiologist said he could perform an abating so I could feel better and less worried. Now it is all coming back, worse and I am scared again this time it is a fib and I am much older, so I understand your panic.
Thank you….
Jack are u there? Can we contact other than on here? Im still getting worse n weigh 7st at 5’6″ – terrified to eat even. Im sorry for u and me…. we are broken inside and nobody medical wise gives a dam.
I need help so do u.
Things are so bad im nor going to make it through this. Im thinking of u 😢