Pills for heart palpitations - how to choose the right drug

Rapid pulse, dizziness, a feeling of fear and nervous tension - these signs directly indicate tachycardia. On average, the heart rate can range from 60 to 90 beats per minute - such indicators are considered normal. However, in some cases, the heart rate increases, including after exercise, when adrenaline is released (due to stress or positive emotions) and in hot weather. If the heart begins to beat quickly for no reason, this symptom must be quickly eliminated, since the increased load on it can be dangerous. There are several simple and proven ways to calm your heartbeat at home, even if you don’t have a first aid kit at hand.

Blood thinners

Antithrombotic drugs are used for various cardiac diseases to prevent blood clots, heart attack or stroke.
For palpitations, they are prescribed if atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation) is diagnosed. In this case, chaotic contractions of the atria create conditions for the “churning” of blood clots inside them, which can enter the arterial bed and clog a large vessel feeding an organ. Antithrombotic drugs do not have the property of slowing heart rate.

For atrial fibrillation, the following medications are prescribed to prevent severe complications:

• warfarin;
• a combination of acetylsalicylic acid and clopidogrel (in extremely rare cases, if it is impossible to use other means);
• dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa);
• apixaban (Eliquis);
• rivaroxaban (Xarelto).

These medications are not prescribed to all patients. There are strict conditions for their use, so independent use of such drugs is unacceptable.

We recommend reading about arrhythmia and bradycardia at the same time. You will learn about the types and causes of arrhythmia against the background of bradycardia, signs of arrhythmia and bradycardia, as well as treatment for bradycardia with arrhythmia.

And here is more information about Anaprilin for arrhythmia.

Anti-palpitation pills are selected by a cardiologist individually for each patient. Despite the variety of relevant medications, a limited number of medications are used to treat each type of arrhythmia. Treatment for palpitations should be carried out under the control of daily ECG monitoring, and self-administration of such drugs is unacceptable.

Prevention of bradycardia

In order to prevent bradycardia, it is necessary to undergo regular medical examinations, and if you have heart disease, follow all doctor’s recommendations. In such cases, it is very important to systematically measure blood pressure and report significant changes to the doctor. By the way, home automatic blood pressure monitors determine not only upper and lower pressure, but also pulse rate, and also record arrhythmia.

A healthy lifestyle helps to avoid the development of bradycardia: an optimal combination of work and rest, proper nutrition, regular physical activity appropriate for age and health.

Microelements for the heart with tachycardia

Vitamins and minerals have a strong impact on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Micronutrient deficiency very often causes tachycardia and arrhythmia. Therefore, to prevent the development of such a situation, drugs for tachycardia are used in the form of vitamin and mineral complexes. Minerals are responsible for the functioning of the heart and blood vessels:

• magnesium, which prevent blood clots by normalizing metabolic processes and controlling blood viscosity;
• calcium, which normalizes myocardial contractile function;
• phosphorus – a conductor of nerve impulses;
• selenium, which increases local immunity, providing protection to heart cells and blood vessels;
• potassium that accompanies the generated electrical impulse through the myocardial conduction system.

Diagnostic methods

1. Electrocardiography (ECG). After examining the printout, the doctor will be able to determine the type of tachycardia and see, for example, heart failure.
2. Daily Holter monitoring is intended to detect paroxysmal tachycardia. Electrodes are attached to the baby's skin and connected to a compact device that takes readings around the clock. Sometimes it takes more than a day.
3. Ultrasound of the heart (Echo-CG) - allows you to see the structure of the heart, structural abnormalities, visualize large vessels and heart valves and chambers, the thickness of the walls of the organ, and evaluate its contractile function. Ultrasound allows you to see heart defects.
4. A clinical blood test aimed at detecting anemia. With it, a compensatory acceleration of heart rate occurs.
5. Biochemical blood test for glucose levels and electrolyte composition.
6. Blood test for thyroid hormones.
7. Electroencephalography (EEG).
8. MRI of the heart - in rare cases.
9. Electrophysiological study (EPS) of the heart is necessary to evaluate electrical activity and find the source of impulses in the paroxysmal type of tachycardia.

Emergency care for tachycardia

At home, if tachycardia occurs, the following measures are taken:

1. you need to take a horizontal position,
2. you can drink a sedative of herbal origin,
3. If the patient has previously had an attack of tachycardia, the cause is known and the patient has recommendations for treatment, then you can take the medicine that was prescribed by the doctor to stop the tachycardia.

If the measures taken do not lead to restoration of the heart rhythm, then it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Diagnostic measures

In order to diagnose bradycardia, the general clinical picture is studied: a person’s lifestyle, his complaints, and accompanying symptoms. A cardiac examination is required to identify possible heart pathologies. The doctor analyzes information about the medications the person is taking and compares the electrocardiogram data with other indicators obtained as a result of laboratory tests and examinations. The classic Holter method or weekly monitoring of the heart rhythm using a special mobile device can be used.

Low blood pressure with tachycardia

First aid is as follows:

1. you need to lie down and raise your legs,
2. drink sweet tea. The use of coffee and caffeinated drinks is prohibited,
3. take a deep breath and hold your breath for a while,
4. It is possible to use sedatives - motherwort tincture.

If the condition does not improve, lethargy, weakness, and dizziness appear, then it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.

The hospital will conduct a set of necessary examinations to determine the cause of tachycardia due to hypotension. Based on the data obtained during diagnosis, a diagnosis is made and a treatment plan is prescribed.

Treatment is mainly aimed at eliminating the etiological factor that caused the increased heart rate. The complex of treatment measures also includes taking vitamins and physiotherapeutic procedures.

• Tachycardia folk treatment - healthy lifestyle recipes

Types of bradycardia

There are several types of bradycardia:

• Absolute – with a steadily reduced heart rate, which does not increase even with physical activity;
• Relative – the pulse increases in proportion to the degree of load or against the background of infectious diseases;
• Moderate - at rest, the pulse does not exceed 40 beats per minute.

Even if a decrease in heart rate does not bother a person or cause any discomfort, it is necessary to identify the cause of such changes in order to prevent the risk of dangerous complications.

Review of drugs for tachycardia

Medications are prescribed to normalize the pulse and control heart contractions. When choosing the most effective remedy, the doctor takes into account the degree of progression of the disease, the presence of other pathologies and contraindications. Therapy is carried out under outpatient supervision of a specialist.

When the heart rate increases, it is necessary to take suitable antiarrhythmic drugs, which are divided into several groups. Drug therapy is prescribed individually for each patient.

Membrane stabilizing

The body’s reaction to membrane-stabilizing drugs is that the heart begins to beat more slowly. This is due to a disruption in the transport of potassium, sodium and calcium ions, which is achieved under the influence of the active components included in the preparations. In this case, there is a decrease in excitability and a weakening of contractions.

Among the most effective remedies for high pulse membrane-stabilizing action are:

• " Metostabil " (oral pulse tablets) - the dosage is gradually increased from 125-250 mg until a therapeutic effect is obtained. It is not recommended to take during pregnancy, lactation, or with liver and kidney failure.
• “ Etatsizin ” - you need to take tablets for tachycardia 50 mg three times a day. If the expected result is not achieved, the dosage is increased. You can take no more than 300 mg per day, divided into 3 doses. The drug is not recommended for myocardial hypertrophy, in the post-infarction state and for children under 18 years of age.
• “ Novocainamide ” - drink 0.25-1.00 g every 3-6 hours. If there is no result, the dosage is increased to 3 mg per day. Contraindications include heart failure, myocardial infarction and renal failure.

Beta blockers

Medicines developed on the basis of substances that block adrenergic receptors. Such drugs are used for hypertension because they affect the functioning of the nervous system. Beta blockers relieve pain in the heart and protect against atherosclerosis.

The action of the drugs is aimed at reducing the myocardial oxygen demand to reduce heart rate and support coronary blood flow. The active substances included in the composition prevent the formation of blood clots and the progression of the pathological process. The use of beta blockers reduces the incidence of heart attacks and reduces the likelihood of sudden death.

Cardiac glycosides (CG) to reduce heart rate

The pharmacological effect of cardiac glycosides is to change the basic functions of the heart. Under their influence, heart contractions increase, which leads to an increase in the volume of blood thrown into the aorta. The heart rate slows down, which increases blood flow to the heart ventricles.

The effect that SGs have on blood pressure is variable. With normal blood pressure levels, no changes are observed with the use of cardiac glycosides. The drugs have a pronounced calming effect on the central nervous system (CNS).

Cardiac glycosides that are prescribed for tachycardia:

• Sinus bradycardia in children: root causes of development, ECG signs, treatment

• "Digoxin";
• "Strophanthin";
• "Korglikon".

Symptoms of low heart rate

Low heart rate symptoms are signs that accompany a slow heart rate:

• Semi-fainting or fainting states;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Dizziness and weakness;
• Chest tenderness;
• Blood pressure surges;
• Periodic short-term visual disturbances;
• Impaired concentration, memory function;
• Headache;
• Confusion of creation;
• Numbness of the extremities, feeling of coldness in the arms and legs.

With a moderate decrease in heart rate (5-10% of normal), bradycardia may not manifest itself in any way. Symptoms generally appear with a more significant drop in readings.

The first signs of disorder

With a slight dissonance between pressure and pulse, patients identify the main complaints of symptoms characteristic of hypertension. However, pronounced deviations from normal indicators cause a deterioration in the general condition.

An attack of dizziness against the background of a sharp decrease in heart rate can cause fainting

Characteristic signs of the pathological condition are:

• Dizziness (lack of oxygen supply to brain tissue).
• Dyspnea (disorder of normal gas exchange in the pulmonary system).
• Weakness (insufficient blood supply to muscle tissue leads to insufficient contraction).
• Severe fatigue (impaired metabolic reactions contribute to a deficiency of energy reserves in muscle cells and the accumulation of special chemicals in them).
• Pain behind the sternum (occurs with a significant decrease in the pulse rate).

All signs indicate the development of concomitant pathologies, and therefore require very strict monitoring and additional diagnostics from specialists.

Possible consequences

A rare pulse (40–45 beats/min) is dangerous for the patient when high blood pressure is recorded, as it leads to the development of hypoxia. Oxygen starvation provokes a disorder of cerebral circulation, resulting in destructive changes in the vascular system of the brain.

Frequent attacks of bradycardia increase the risk of blood clots, since slow blood circulation contributes to its stagnation in the heart chambers. Blood clots that have formed in the heart can migrate to any vessel, causing blockage.

Drug treatment

The sinus variety is treated in the system. Medicines that can be used if the pulse is 100 or more:

• Sedatives. Calms the central nervous system and reduces heart rate. Diazepam, Motherwort, Valerian, Phenobarbital in various preparations.
• Calcium channel blockers. They do not allow Ca+ ions to penetrate into the structures of blood vessels and cause their stenosis. Hence the impossibility of rapidly increasing heart rate.
• Magnesium-based products (Magnelis, Magne B6). Helps normalize cardiac activity.
• Beta blockers. Used to relieve irritation of the third reflex zone of the organ. Can be used as emergency aid.

Supraventricular tachycardia:

• Additionally, cardiac glycosides are prescribed.
• Antiarrhythmic drugs.

Ventricular arrhythmia is treated much more seriously, since it is the most dangerous and lethal type. The same groups of media are used, but strictly in combination.