Anxiety tachycardia: racing heart

Palpitations, choking, feeling that the heart is racing intensely and without a specific cause… A good part of the population has experienced tachycardia due to anxiety at some point. It is a situation of high anxiety in which it is very common to think that you are having a heart attack.

It should be noted that These types of cases are common in hospital emergency rooms. and that anxiety has clinical symptoms with symptoms that are as complex as they are diverse. In fact, there is more and more research that describes the link between anxiety and that state of activation that occurs with a heart rate that exceeds 100 beats per minute.

However, and Despite the impact it may cause us, these types of conditions are not serious. It’s just over 10 minutes of discomfort and a feeling of alertness that rarely goes any further. Despite this, it is always important to consider two aspects.

The first is to rule out other underlying conditions or diseases. The second, learn to manage stressful times and problems so as not to lead to chronic states of anxiety which, in the long run, can take their toll on us.

Tachycardia due to anxiety: causes, characteristics and strategies

What is the cause of anxiety tachycardia? The answer is obvious: emotional turmoil itself. If we now ask ourselves what misguided motive orchestrates the demon of anxiety disorders, it should be noted that there is no single answer. Sometimes, a kaleidoscope of causes are intermingled: genetic factors, the way of filtering and processing reality since adolescence, self-demand, lifestyle…

There are many triggers and infinite ways in which this psychological condition is experienced. There is adaptive and maladaptive anxiety, We have anxiety caused by specific events such as speaking in public and chronic anxiety, that which is integrated into generalized anxiety disorder. Be that as it may, there is also evidence: we do not treat it well.

Often, We resort exclusively to the classic benzodiazepines that end up masking the symptoms, but that by themselves do not solve the original problem or provide skills to cope with day-to-day life. Hence, we increasingly feel more captive to the symptoms, as in this case, tachycardia due to anxiety. Let’s know more information about her.

What is happening to me and why?

When we talk about anxiety tachycardia we are referring to sinus tachycardia.. It is interesting to remember that while a healthy heartbeat ranges between 60 and 100 beats per minute, in the case of an anxious process it exceeds 100. In addition, it is accompanied by other organic symptoms such as the following:

Stabbing sensation in the chest.Strong and irregular heartbeats.Feeling of suffocation.Dizziness or lightheadedness.Dry mouth.

Sinus tachycardia caused by anxiety occurs as a result of excess adrenaline. Generally, we reach a state in which there is an excessive accumulation of emotions. All these emotions generate adrenaline and other hormones that react at a given moment. They also do it in response to the activation that causes anxiety in order to help us respond to a risk or threat (which, in many cases, does not even exist).

The bloodstream is flooded with adrenaline and the heart accelerates, sometimes leading to hyperventilation. This last trigger arises when we expel too much carbon dioxide and absorb too much oxygen.

Is anxiety tachycardia serious?

We pointed out at the beginning, tachycardia due to anxiety is not serious. More than a problem we should see it as the symptom that there is a problem, something we must attend to. Studies such as those carried out by Dr. Christopher Celano point us to something important.

Generally, the most serious cases appear in people who already have previous heart problems. About 11% of people with cardiovascular disease develop generalized anxiety disorder. Patients who have suffered a heart attack or who suffer from heart failure also end up suffering anxiety about the disease itself.

However, there is no evidence that healthy people who suffer from anxiety end up suffering from serious cardiovascular disorders. Even less so that tachycardia due to anxiety ends up leading to something more serious.

However, there is one detail that we must consider: Chronic anxiety, which we have been carrying for more than 5 years, can put excessive stress on the heartso we can end up suffering from hypertension or vasoconstriction.

How do I differentiate tachycardia due to anxiety?

If anxiety tachycardia is a symptom that often appears in your charts, you may be wondering: “How do I know that the next one won’t be a real heart attack?” In these situations, pay attention to the differential signs of heart racing due to anxiety:

The pain of anxiety tachycardia is stabbing. With a heart attack, the sensation is that of feeling tightness in the chest.The duration of tachycardia in anxiety symptoms is 10-15 minutes, while in a heart attack it lasts longer and the pain reappears.In a heart attack the arm or the left area of ​​the arm may go numb, while in anxiety the symptoms are more varied.: hyperventilation, tingling of the skin, feeling of loss of control or the belief that you are going to lose your sanity.

What can I do to avoid this situation?

Palpitations, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, muscle pain, fatigue… Anxiety is a bad life companion. Sometimes, even though we believe that we have everything under control and that we are in a relaxed situation, like watching TV, tachycardia can suddenly arise or even more so: an anxiety attack.

We do not deserve a reality like this and, even less, to let that state become chronic. It is important to go to the doctor to first rule out any organic disease or heart problem. Later, it is advisable to go to a psychologist. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the one that has the most evidence in these cases.

Thanks to it, we assume greater control of our thoughts and emotions to change habits, both mental and behavioral. On the other hand, comorbidity must also be taken into account. It is common that along with anxiety, depression also appears.

The help of a specialized professional is essential in all these cases. With good therapy and changes in our coping habits we will be able to live better.

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