Life is developing day after day and the chances of serious health problems increasing, especially in light of neglecting periodic examinations and following wrong habits. One of the common problems in the recent period is heart palpitations, which are characterized by mild to moderate pain in the chest area, and they may affect all age groups alike, so let us review through this article the most important causes and symptoms that, if any of them recur, should be visited by a doctor, and what is the treatment program that suits them.

What are heartbeats?

Heart palpitations refer to chest pain that ranges from mild to moderate in intensity and lasts for a short time.

Causes of heart palpitations

Heart attacks may occur due to many diseases that may affect humans, including the following: 

• Diseases that affect heart health: It is a variety of diseases that may be combined with chest pain depending on its degree of severity and the extent to which it can spread to other areas of the body, including: heart attack, angina, myocarditis, in addition to irregular heartbeat.
• Respiratory problemsContinuous heart palpitations may occur as a result of the body, including the heart and lungs, not receiving sufficient amounts of oxygen. These disorders include: asthma and respiratory crises.
• Anxiety and stressStress increases a group of hormones that may cause chest muscle spasm, leading to heart attacks.
• أمراض الجهاز الهضمي: Symptoms of gastritis, acidity, esophageal reflux and other health problems that affect the stomach and digestive system may be similar to a group of pains and cramps in the chest area.
• Alzheimer's: Alzheimer's is a health problem that may cause heart attacks. In addition, recent scientific studies have confirmed that the possibility of heart failure may increase in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Therefore, comprehensive periodic examination and visiting a specialist doctor once every 6 months is one of the health behaviors that contribute to early detection of diseases and treating them before they worsen. 

تعرف ايضًا على : What are the symptoms of early heart disease?

أنواع نغزات القلب

There are many types of heart attacks that vary in severity and duration of occurrence, in addition to the causes of heart attacks. These types include the following:

خفقان القلب

These are tremors that occur due to sudden changes in the heartbeat, such as an accelerated or irregular heartbeat, and are usually accompanied by shortness of breath and dizziness.

Bouts of anxiety and tension

It is a very common type that affects a large group of people, especially those who suffer from excessive anxiety or are exposed to constant psychological pressure. The seizures result from excessive secretion of adrenaline, which affects the entire heart system. 

Twitches due to poisoning

Some people suffer from severe heart attacks due to taking medications that contain toxins or toxic narcotic substances, which results in a severe acceleration of the heartbeat and high blood pressure, with sometimes loss of consciousness.

Heart rhythm problems

This type of heart attack occurs when there is a problem with the heart rhythm due to changes in the level of potassium or calcium in the blood, which affects the heart system and causes these heart attacks with symptoms of rapid heart palpitations.

Angina attacks

These are heart attacks that occur due to coronary heart disease. Doctors call them symptoms of angina, and they include severe pain and pressure in the chest, along with constant fatigue and shortness of breath.

Cramps resulting from esophageal reflux

Esophageal reflux and acidity are among the most common conditions that cause painful heart attacks and are known for some other symptoms, such as a feeling of intense burning in the chest and esophagus, which increases significantly immediately after eating. 

تعرف علي : ما الذي يسبب أمراض القلب؟

When are heart attacks dangerous?

You should visit a specialist doctor immediately if the previous symptoms occur continuously, especially chest pain, in addition to irregular heartbeat, because they may indicate the possibility of some serious diseases such as angina or a heart attack, and may cause blood clots in the main arteries and veins.

ما هو علاج انسداد شرايين القلب

Do heart palpitations cause death?

We often get this question, “Do heart attacks cause death?” The truth is that they do not cause death in most cases, and it depends on the assessment of the treating physician. The causes of heart attacks are multiple and differ in their seriousness from one case to another. Therefore, what determines the seriousness of heart attacks and whether they are life-threatening or not is the reason for their occurrence along with some serious symptoms such as: 

• ضيق شديد في التنفس.
• Unbearable chest pain.
• Constant exposure to dizziness and nausea.

Book your consultation now at مركز القلب والأوعية الدموية At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.

Methods of diagnosing heart attacks

The doctor uses a set of helpful tools, in addition to conducting a careful medical examination, to find out the causes of the problem and develop an appropriate treatment program for it, which includes the following: 

• Electrocardiogram (ECG): Also known as EKG, it is a painless procedure used to record electrical readings of the heart, to find out whether a person is healthy or not. 
• تحاليل الدمThe level of protein in the blood may increase, especially after a heart attack, so it may be an effective option in diagnosing some problems that affect heart health. 
• الأشعة السينية: It is used to image the condition of the lungs, the size and shape of the heart and major blood vessels, to diagnose problems affecting the lungs, such as: pneumonia.
• Computed tomography (CT) scan is used to detect the possibility of a blood clot in the lung or a ruptured aorta.

It is also important for you: ما هي الأمراض التي يكشفها تخطيط القلب؟

Complications of heart attacks

In many cases, heart attacks cannot be classified as a serious condition, but sometimes, with neglect of treatment, the patient may be exposed to heart attack complications, the most prominent of which are:

• Lack of blood flow to the body's vital organs, which exposes the patient to heart attacks.
• Sometimes the increase in pain and intensity of seizures may cause the patient to suffer from a bad psychological state and expose him to stress and anxiety.
• Some types of strokes may cause blood clots to form, leading to a stroke or heart attack.

Treating heart attacks

The treatments used vary depending on the health problem. For example, the treatment program for gastroesophageal reflux disease will be different from... أمراض القلب. ينصح الأطباء بضرورة الكشف المبكر عند ظهور أعراض نغزات القلب، لزيادة سرعة التعافي، وتجنب حدوث مضاعفات خطيرة. وتشمل العلاجات ما يلي: 

• pharmaceutical
  AspirinDoctors may recommend using aspirin if the problem is related to heart disease.
  Nitroglycerin: Also known as an arterial relaxant: It is a tablet under the tongue that helps dilate the vessels and allow blood to flow easily through the veins.
  Acidity-reducing medicationsIncluding proton pump inhibitors: This type of medication is used if the cause is one of the digestive system problems, such as: esophageal reflux, or stomach ulcers.
  مضادات الاكتئاب: The doctor prescribes antidepressant medications to improve the mood and overcome constant tension and stress, which may cause heart attacks.
  Clot dissolving medications: One of the families of medications used to treat heart attacks, if the problem is due to clots, or in the case of a heart attack.
• Surgery
  Artery dissection surgery: This procedure aims to remove the blockage in the artery leading to the heart.
  Coronary artery bypass surgeryIt is a type of open-heart surgery, which relies on creating a new path for blood flow to overcome heart blockages.
• النظام الغذائي
  Following a healthy lifestyle reduces the possibility of developing diseases that trigger heart attacks, and ensures the following:
  Eat healthy foods rich in nutrients, such as vegetables and fruits.
  Exercising regularly every week.
  Maintain a healthy weight and eliminate obesity.
  Quit smoking.
  Treat respiratory infections and avoid asthma triggers.

طرق الوقاية من نغزات القلب

Doctors at Al Mousa Specialist Hospital recommend following some methods to prevent heart attacks, which help improve heart health throughout life in the absence of any hereditary disease, the most important of which are:

• Quit smoking and alcohol permanently, as they are among the most dangerous causes of heart attacks. 
• Control stress, anxiety, and psychological pressure quickly so as not to exhaust the heart muscle.
• Reduce drinking caffeine, such as coffee, its derivatives, and soft drinks as well, which maintains the heart system.
• If you feel any abnormal symptoms in the heart, you must go immediately for follow-up with a specialist doctor.
• Maintain a healthy diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits and reduce fatty foods and sugars.

What are the foods that strengthen the heart?

If you want to have good health and avoid many problems, you should follow the following nutritional tips, which include the most important foods that are beneficial to heart health, including: 

• Fish rich in omega-3, such as: salmon and tuna. 
• Grilled meat, such as: red meat and chicken. 
• البيض. 
• Nuts and whole grains. 
• Legumes, such as: lentils, chickpeas, and green beans.

Frequently asked questions

هل نغزات القلب أمر طبيعي؟

No, it cannot be said that heart murmurs are normal, especially if they are frequent. Therefore, we always advise, if the symptoms of heart murmurs recur, to immediately go to a specialist doctor to find out the cause of the murmurs and treat the problem early.

How do I know that my heart is healthy?

You can know that your heart is healthy through medical examinations only, which must be performed periodically in hospitals and specialized centers, especially if there is a family history of heart disease.

What is the difference between heart and chest beats?

The difference between heart and chest murmurs is that heart murmurs suggest the presence of a heart disease problem only and must be detected, while chest murmurs include other conditions with heart disease, such as sprained chest muscles, or problems with the respiratory system. 

How do I recognize heart pain?

What distinguishes heart pain is that it begins in the middle of the chest and then tends to the left side more and is accompanied by other symptoms such as heaviness in the chest, and pain in the left arm and back. The pain usually lasts for a few minutes and then disappears. 

In conclusion, our habits constitute a large part of our health, and are affected by it. The chances of heart attacks and associated health problems may decrease if we follow a set of healthy habits, including eating foods rich in nutrients, in addition to visiting a specialist doctor once every 6 months for a periodic examination. You can visit our hospitals to learn more about our offers.

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