Heart pain with VSD - symptoms and types, basic principles of first aid

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a pathological process that occurs in the human cardiovascular system. When the disease occurs, the patient experiences a variety of symptoms. The most common diagnosis is the appearance of pain in the heart with VSD.

What is vegetative-vascular dystonia?

Many patients are diagnosed with VSD. This disease is considered a pathology of the myocardium and blood vessels. However, after examinations, no disturbances in the functioning of these organs are detected in a person. What explains this circumstance? The fact is that vegetative-vascular dystonia is associated with a disorder of the functions of the nervous system. Improper functioning of the ANS leads to unpleasant sensations in the myocardium and blood vessels. Do heart pains with VSD pose a threat to the patient’s life? Fortunately, in this case, discomfort does not indicate the presence of a dangerous condition. When visiting a doctor after examinations, many people diagnosed with “vegetative-vascular dystonia” notice that the specialist ignores their health problems. However, such patients should not be ignored. After all, discomfort in the myocardial area not only contributes to the emergence of feelings of fear and panic attacks, but also significantly complicates the patient’s life.

The nature of heart pain with VSD

VSD is considered a deviation in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and has no direct connection with heart disease.
A burning sensation in the chest with VSD can last for varying amounts of time and appear during physical activity and even walking. The nature of the discomfort depends on the development of the disease, and during an exacerbation, chest pain is much more common. There is rapid heartbeat, dizziness, heavy sweating and indigestion. Types of heart pain:

A slight aching pain is felt, which will be accompanied by depression, deterioration in mood, and weakness.
The pain can also be sharp and stabbing - it stabbes until the person begins to breathe calmly and stops any physical activity.
Sometimes there may be pressure in the chest and a feeling of heaviness behind the chest. An adult feels a lack of oxygen and sweats profusely.
Cutting pain is considered the most dangerous, because it can last for several hours and make a person fear for his life.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia is not directly related to heart disease, but chest pain is one of the symptoms of abnormalities in the functioning of the human cardiovascular system. Unpleasant sensations can have different intensities and characteristics and appear at rest, during active physical activity, and even when walking.

These sensations are accompanied by rapid heartbeat, slight dizziness, indigestion and impaired thermoregulation with increased sweating.

Heart pain can be described as:

aching;
pressing;
burning;
compressive;
stabbing.

The most dangerous is considered to be cutting pain, which sometimes lasts for hours, subsides and intensifies, causing panic and fear.

Any pain of an intense and prolonged nature with the addition of sweating, shortness of breath, and feelings of fear requires diagnosis, as it coincides with the symptoms of myocardial infarction. This condition cannot be ignored; an ambulance is needed.

Characteristic signs of VSD

Vegetative-vascular dystonia develops as a result of an incorrect reaction of the ANS to environmental factors, physical and mental stress. Moreover, the manifestations of pathology can be different. Some patients experience increased blood pressure and increased heart rate.

Others suffer from muscle weakness, hypotension, a feeling of exhaustion and a depressed emotional state. Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a chronic disease. This means that the patient periodically experiences crises, which are accompanied by a deterioration in health. Such exacerbations manifest themselves in the form of tachycardia, cephalgia, and a feeling of weakness. Heart pain with VSD is also a characteristic symptom. They can occur in an individual from time to time under the influence of various factors.

Causes

Pain in the heart with vegetative-vascular dystonia manifests itself due to various factors - nervousness, stress, disease, heredity. In children, VSD can occur in 10% of cases.

From a medical point of view, this diagnosis is caused by a discrepancy between the pace of development of the nervous system and physical growth. As well as excessive physical and mental stress.

Heart pain during VSD can occur for various reasons, the most common of which are the following:

chronic diseases – colitis, pancreatitis, gastric ulcer;
diseases of the nervous, cardiovascular and endocrine systems ;
head injuries;
allergic diseases, intoxication ;
stress , being in a constant “peak” position, overexertion, overwork;
consequences of acquired infectious diseases ;
physical, emotional or mental stress ;
sudden change of environment , time zone or climate;
hormonal imbalance that occurs in women during menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, as well as in adolescents;
excessive use of tobacco and alcohol;
nervousness and lack of sleep;
colds;
“sedentary” work , sedentary lifestyle;
unbalanced diet, insomnia , depression.

In addition, heart pain occurs in a person prone to self-hypnosis.

Causes of discomfort

Many people suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia try not to pay attention to its manifestations. They explain the periodic malaise due to physical or emotional overload. For the same reason, patients ignore slight discomfort in the myocardium. Some people postpone a visit to a specialist until severe pain in the heart appears due to VSD and symptoms of complications (increased blood pressure, vascular pathologies). The occurrence of unpleasant sensations is associated with many different factors. Experts cite the following as the main causes of myocardial discomfort:

Physical strain (carrying heavy objects, long walks or intense sports).
Emotional turmoil. Since the pathology is psychosomatic in nature, unpleasant experiences lead to the development of panic attacks. They are accompanied by discomfort in the myocardium and dizziness.
Lack of oxygen and lack of sleep. Sometimes, if pain occurs in the heart area during VSD, to eliminate the symptom it is enough to ventilate the room well and get a good rest.
Malfunctions of the myocardium.
Climate change and strong temperature changes.
Neuralgia.
Degenerative changes in intervertebral discs.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol-containing drinks. This circumstance leads to the appearance of arrhythmia.
Hormonal imbalances in the female body. Such conditions include premenstrual syndrome.

Feeling pain in the heart area as a symptom of VSD

The main problem that patients face is constant aching sensations in the heart and sternum. The patient may experience an acute feeling of fear of death, which increases the duration of the attack and worsens general well-being.

Gradually, additional symptoms and signs appear, making diagnosis difficult. Unpleasant sensations in the heart area spread to neighboring organs, often localized in the chest, left arm and lower part of the face. Patients complain of discomfort in the intestines, lungs and decreased performance. Each time an attack of pain in the heart during VSD becomes longer and more severe.

Pain in the vegetative-vascular system with dystonia manifests itself in different ways. Problems of heart pain bother patients after nervous shocks, with regular disruption of sleep and rest patterns, and under other circumstances. With autonomic dysfunctions in VSD, the symptoms are as follows:

insomnia and shallow sleep;
dizziness;
chills or feeling hot;
weakness and increased fatigue;
pressure fluctuations (decrease or increase);
numbness of limbs, convulsions.

We recommend reading: Atarax for VSD

Symptoms depend on the general health of the person, age and the presence of concomitant pathologies. The main symptom for all patients with dystonia is pain, which interferes with normal life and work. The person becomes irritable and tense, as he is constantly waiting for the next attack. The pain can be so severe that it becomes difficult to breathe. The condition is often accompanied by panic attacks.

Is VSD syndrome dangerous?

Doctors do not agree on the danger of VSD. Some experts believe that all symptoms can be easily eliminated by lifestyle changes. Other doctors offer treatments aimed at relieving the condition. The truth lies somewhere between these two points of view.

To avoid complications, dystonia must be treated. To do this, determine the exact set of symptoms accompanying the pathology. A consultation with a psychotherapist is also required, since heart pain is often combined with depression, neuroses or other diseases. Only through the joint efforts of specialists from different fields can it be possible to select effective treatment.

Additional symptoms of VSD

A feature of vegetative-vascular dystonia is the ability to masquerade as other diseases. This increases the risk of reacting incorrectly to the situation. Heart attacks, angina pectoris, and other dangerous heart pathologies have similar symptoms. They require urgent assistance, as there is a high probability of death. To avoid this, you need to know how the heart hurts during VSD.

How to distinguish heart pain from VSD:

Occurs regardless of physical activity.
Often appears after stress or severe emotional shock.
Accompanied by fear of death and anxiety.
Does not decrease when exposed to vasodilator drugs.

The appearance of heart pain during VSD is facilitated by lack of sleep, alcohol consumption and neglect of physical activity. People prone to a sedentary lifestyle are faced with cervical osteochondrosis. For this reason, patients are sure that they are worried about pain in the heart, and problems have arisen in the spine. If a person suffers from chest pain, the presence of other diseases should be excluded. Against the background of constant violations of the daily routine and self-medication, arrhythmias occur, and in severe cases, the likelihood of a heart attack increases.

We recommend reading: Yawning and lack of air with vegetative-vascular dystonia

The nature of pain in the heart during VSD may change, but traditionally patients complain of a feeling of compression in the sternum. At the same time, no changes in the heart are observed on ultrasound, and mild arrhythmia is sometimes visible on ECG. After an additional examination, treatment for VSD is selected, which depends on the symptoms, age of the patient and other factors.

Other signs of illness

In addition to heart pain with VSD, the symptoms of this pathology include the following:

Changes in heart rate.
Cephalgia and dizziness.
Read also: Coding of neurocirculatory dystonia in the ICD
Sharp fluctuations in blood pressure.
Noise and ringing in the ears.
Decreased ability to work, deterioration of attention and memory.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Unreasonable increase in temperature.
Fluctuations in the emotional background.

Many patients with a similar illness are concerned about why the heart hurts with VSD. The appearance of discomfort may be explained by the peculiarities of the pathology.

Causes of pathology

Patients often do not perceive heart disease and compare it with ordinary fatigue. Over time, the disease progresses and complications arise.

A person begins to worry if his heart begins to hurt during heart failure . The symptom appears when exposed to various provoking factors:

Psychological stress. Vegetative-vascular dystonia is classified as a psychosomatic disease. If a person often has nervous tension or experiences stressful situations, this can lead to panic attacks. Pain in the heart during VSD is accompanied by dizziness and nausea.
Lack of sleep and lack of air. In order for human organs to function fully and correctly, you need to get proper sleep. In the evening, it is recommended to ventilate the room.
Physical activity. If a person’s activity is related to sports or constant lifting of weights, then his heart may hurt.

The occurrence of the symptom is most often observed in women, which is explained by the peculiarities of the body’s functioning. During menstruation, representatives of the fairer sex experience strong hormonal changes.

The occurrence of pain in the heart during VSD is diagnosed for a variety of reasons. The patient must eliminate them during the course of the disease.

Categories of vegetative-vascular dystonia and their impact on myocardial function

There are two common types of the disease. These are hypertonic and hypotonic types. Each of them has a certain effect on a person’s well-being. In the first case, blood pressure increases and spasms of blood vessels and muscles appear. Discomfort in the myocardium is due to the fact that the organ does not receive enough oxygen. In addition, its tissues are deprived of the ability to get rid of harmful substances. The hypotonic type of pathology also contributes to the occurrence of unpleasant sensations. They, as in the first case, are explained by a lack of oxygen and the accumulation of toxic compounds in the cells. However, this disease is characterized by other symptoms (muscle aches, decreased blood pressure).

Drugs that will help relieve heart pain due to VSD

Let's put hypochondria aside and won't make an impressive list of medications needed by a suspicious heart. But it is advisable to have the following medications in your home medicine cabinet (some may even be worth carrying with you at all times):

Valocordin (drops). It relieves stabbing pain in the heart during VSD, eliminates vegetative reactions to weather and stress, lowers blood pressure, and calms the pulse. The main thing is not to abuse the drug: the body quickly gets used to the phenobarbital contained in the drops, and may soon stop responding to the medication altogether.
Nitroglycerine. If suddenly (which is not at all necessary) the stabbing pain in the heart turns into a cutting, burning, debilitating pain, you need to put a tablet of this drug under your tongue.
Aspirin. This is not only an antipyretic, but also a real helper for the heart. Aspirin thins the blood, ensuring its better passage through the vessels, which is very important for the proper functioning of the heart muscle.
Anaprilin. If heart pain is accompanied by a rapid pulse (over 110 beats per minute) and panic, then this is a surge of adrenaline caused by fear. Anaprilin reduces the effect of adrenaline on the body and gives a sedative effect. But it is not recommended to drink it frequently and on an ongoing basis.

Taking analgesics is not recommended for stabbing pain in the heart, since often eliminating such pain is not their “competence.” The only exception is pain with osteochondrosis, when the patient has a stabbing sensation in the heart when exiting or inhaling, which is caused by compression of the nerve roots. But medications for this must be prescribed by a neurologist. Mild analgesics sold without a prescription bring little benefit and only put a strain on the liver.

The nature of the discomfort

What pain in the heart can a person experience with VSD? First of all, the characteristics of the manifestation of discomfort depend on blood pressure.

If it is elevated, pain occurs in the chest, shortness of breath, swelling of the extremities, and a feeling of pulsation in the head are observed. The skin of the face takes on a reddish tint. This symptomatology is caused by spasms of the walls of blood vessels. Hypotension, on the contrary, is accompanied by relaxation of the arteries and veins, as a result of which the blood supply to the tissues sharply slows down. A person feels compression in the myocardium. Breathing becomes rapid. The patient has a headache and a feeling of weakness. Heart rate becomes uneven. A strong decrease in blood pressure can lead to an attack of vomiting.

Nature of pain

Vegetative-vascular dystonia occurs in the adult population in up to 70% of cases. People at a doctor's appointment complain of heart pain. There is an increase in heart rate. Moreover, the pain radiates to the cervical region, shoulders, and sternum.

Heart pain during VSD is often provoked by stress, nervousness, hormonal imbalances and other reasons.

To relieve such attacks, medications and physiotherapeutic treatments are prescribed.

Along with pain, a person experiences dizziness, often accompanied by fainting and suffocation. The patient's palms sweat, temperature and blood pressure fluctuate, sleep is disturbed, and panic attacks appear.

In addition to heart pain, those suffering from VSD may experience weakness, constant fatigue, irritability, anxiety, dizziness, and a feeling of shortness of breath.
VSD is often accompanied by headache, bad mood and sleep disturbances.

Neurologist, reflexologist, hirudotherapist

Kislitsyna Ekaterina Nikolaevna

10 years of experience

All patients usually have the same type of pain - aching with frequent tingling. People experience a feeling of suffocation, interruptions and burning in the heart area, and difficulty breathing. Many people complain of having a foreign body in the chest. The sensation of pain may last a few seconds or longer. This is where so-called panic attacks appear.

Different types of discomfort

There are several types of heart pain with VSD. These include:

Discomfort of a cutting or piercing nature. As a rule, it occurs suddenly, in the form of attacks. Provokes a feeling of fear.
Sensation of compression. Usually not pronounced. This discomfort has been present for a long time. May cause anxiety and depressed emotional state.
An ailment that combines the above types of pain. Unpleasant sensations are characterized by varying intensity.

Pain in the heart due to various pathologies

Ultrasound can help determine the cause of heart pain

The signs and nature of pain in the heart with vegetative dystonia are similar to the symptoms of diseases associated with disruption of the heart muscle. It is possible to determine exactly what exactly caused the discomfort, fatigue and pain in the sternum through a comprehensive examination. For this purpose, can the doctor prescribe an ECG? Ultrasound, MRI, general blood test, etc. In addition to hardware diagnostics, the following signs will help identify pathologies other than VSD:

a heart attack is indicated by severe pain spreading to the abdomen, radiating to the left arm, shoulder blade and neck. Nitroglycerin doesn't help much. The person begins to sweat profusely, panic sets in, and there is a strong fear of dying. The obvious signs of a heart attack are coughing and shortness of breath. The attack lasts longer than 15 minutes;
angina pectoris is characterized by acute or dull pain that begins in the sternum and radiates to the left shoulder blade. Additional signs include shortness of breath and suffocation. The attack lasts up to 20 minutes and is stopped with Nitroglycerin.

Both pathologies require separate treatment.

Options for the course of a crisis in vegetative-vascular dystonia

The discomfort that occurs in patients with this pathology can manifest itself as follows:

In the form of a feeling of squeezing in the chest area. Such patients are helped by taking medications with a calming effect (valerian or menthol). And, although an unpleasant feeling in the area of the heart muscle may be present for quite a long time, patients retain the ability to work.
Burning sensation. Sometimes it is so strong that a person goes to the doctor.

Drugs such as Validol and Valocordin do not improve the patient’s well-being.
Attacks of discomfort, which are accompanied by respiratory disorders, increased sweating, and increased heart rate. If your heart hurts badly during VSD, you should not postpone your visit to a medical facility. Such a complex of symptoms may indicate the presence of serious myocardial pathologies. The patient needs examination.

Why are such pains dangerous?

A strong heart, even with VSD, can be dangerous, so you need to treat it with caution. The quality and duration of life depends on this internal organ. At the same time, constant heart pain, even with VSD, can cause panic attacks. The patient realizes that something is wrong in the body and believes that the cause is in the heart. With each crisis, he begins to worry about his health and future life.

Without understanding the nature of pain in the heart area and not realizing that the problem is VSD, a person concludes that he is sick. In reality, pain is associated with neurology, so it is better not to start treatment. Otherwise, a harmless VSD can turn into diseases and dangerous disorders.

Heart pain with VSD: how to distinguish it from signs of other ailments?

Such discomfort is characterized by certain properties. Knowing them, you don’t have to worry about the patient’s condition and his life. As signs that are present in VSD, but are not detected in the case of other pathologies, experts call:

Unpleasant sensations lasting from 10 to 15 minutes. They arise after strong experiences. Taking medications like Validol helps improve the condition.
Burning sensation.
Mild discomfort over a long period (from two to three hours to several days).
Unpleasant sensations do not depend on the presence of physical activity.
The patient's well-being improves after taking medications with a sedative effect. Yoga and meditation techniques also help him.

It should be remembered that pain in the heart during VSD is not accompanied by a burning sensation and squeezing, radiating to the left arm, lower jaw or scapula. A similar symptom is characteristic of other myocardial pathologies (for example, coronary artery disease). This is a condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Kinds

In the medical literature, there are several types of heart pain with VSD, the symptoms of which depend on the type of disease. Variants of pain that occur depending on the type of VSD:

Cardialgic type , in which a person experiences prolonged dull or sharp pain in the heart area. The pulse quickens, there is anxiety and increased blood pressure. This type does not depend on physical activity.
Tachycardial type - the pulse increases gradually, sometimes rising to 160 beats per minute, the patient’s face turns red, and blood pressure rises. Many feel pulsation in the head, patients experience short-term dull pain.
Hypertensive type - a person experiences heart pain and short-term pressure surges.
Visceral type - there is a disruption of the intestines, constipation occurs, or, conversely, diarrhea. A person feels sharp pain in the abdomen.
Hypotonic type - in this case, blood pressure decreases, pain in the heart area is accompanied by weakness, chills and increased sweating, and the heartbeat increases.
Asthenic type - the patient feels exhausted and tired. Complete loss of strength and falling into a rut for a long time. The person’s hands begin to shake, the temperature rises, and the pain is short-lived but frequent.
Respiratory type - along with heart pain, a person experiences difficulty breathing. Patients often complain of a dry cough, the inability to breathe deeply, and yawning.
Mixed form - when sick people experience symptoms of several types of VSD at once.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia and osteochondrosis

Increased blood pressure and discomfort in the myocardium are often explained by circulatory disorders. This occurs as a result of compression of blood vessels. Osteochondrosis is a pathology of the spinal discs. It is characterized by damage to cartilage tissue.

If the disease affects the cervical or thoracic region, vegetative-vascular dystonia may develop. How does the heart hurt with VSD and osteochondrosis? Typically, patients experience a feeling of squeezing, which is accompanied by an increase in heart rate, dizziness, visual disturbances, and discomfort in the area of the shoulder blades.

Nature of pain

Anyone who has ever experienced similar symptoms during VSD notes stabbing pain in the heart, and they can also be aching and pressing. It should be noted that in case of obvious disorders of autonomics, in which heart pain occurs, doctors may not detect cardiac diseases in the patient.

The picture turns out to be very specific: there is pain in the heart with VSD, but no pathologies are found in it. In this regard, neither a cardiologist nor a neurologist will help you, since they prescribe slightly different treatment.

Diagnostic measures and therapy

It is known that the answer to the question of whether the heart hurts during VSD is positive. Many people turn to the doctor to cope with this disease. To make sure that the occurrence of an attack is associated specifically with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the specialist conducts a conversation with the patient and refers him to diagnostic procedures. The examination includes an electrocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging and assessment of the myocardium using an ultrasound machine. Thanks to these methods, the doctor can clearly determine the cause of discomfort. What methods of therapy are used to combat the signs of vegetative-vascular dystonia? Experts recommend the following treatment options:

Medicines based on medicinal plants that have a calming effect, as well as teas with the addition of valerian and lemon balm.
Products containing menthol and mint. They are used in cases of low blood pressure, as they speed up the blood circulation process.
Warming ointments, mustard plasters, which are placed on the chest area. These remedies help eliminate discomfort.
Vitamin supplements that provide the tissues and cells of the body with essential substances.

Knowing how the heart hurts during VSD, a person suffering from this disease can ease his well-being during a crisis. Of great importance for such patients is maintaining a proper diet, adequate rest, regular walks and giving up addictions. A healthy lifestyle, avoiding stressful situations and getting enough sleep can improve the condition of the nervous system.

How to distinguish pain in the heart muscle during VSD?

It is possible to determine that the heart hurts as a result of vegetative-vascular dystonia by the characteristic differences of these uncomfortable sensations. Among the main differences from traditional heart pain are:

The heart does not hurt during physical activity, but the pain manifests itself over time.
Painful sensations disappear in a calm state, but return again with mobility. This indicates that the pain is caused by intercostal neuralgia or myositis.
Pain in the heart during VSD disappears or weakens when taking sedatives or tranquilizers.
Cardiac vasodilators do not help.
For pain localized in the heart area after waking up or after eating during VSD, doctors do not diagnose serious pathologies in the body.

Causes of heart failure

Physiological factors

Short-term discomfort in the precordial area is possible with severe fear, which is an absolutely normal situation. After eliminating the provoking factor, the unpleasant sensations disappear without a trace. Single extraordinary cardiac contractions, which are clinically manifested by freezing, are observed in 5-15% of absolutely healthy people. Their onset is provoked by nervous or physical stress, or a sudden change in weather.

Extrasystole

This type of arrhythmia most often causes the heart to freeze. Patients describe the sensation as a momentary “cardiac arrest” or talk about missing one heartbeat. Depending on the type of extrasystole, the symptom can be one-time or repeated several times in a row. The most dangerous condition is when freezing is felt in the form of regular episodes that follow every 2-3 heart beats.

The symptom is accompanied by a sharp deterioration of the condition. Patients complain of sudden dizziness, weakness, and shortness of breath. Fading of the heart during extrasystoles is characterized by a feeling of anxiety and lack of air. The skin turns pale or red. Depending on the etiological factor, extrasystole of functional, organic and toxic origin is distinguished.

Heart blocks

Heart stopping is felt during atrioventricular blockade, when the conduction of excitation from the atria to the ventricles is disrupted. With 1 degree AV block, such symptoms are observed very rarely. Small pauses in heart contractions are characteristic of 2nd degree blockade. The most pronounced freezing of heart contractions is in stage 3 disease, when the atria and ventricles work in different rhythms.

The symptom is characterized by a combination of constant weakness, decreased performance and physical activity. Freezing is accompanied by severe dizziness and shortness of breath, sometimes the attacks end in fainting. Clinical signs do not depend on the nature, activity and time of day. AV blockades occur with congenital heart defects, organic myocardial lesions, and intoxication.

Bradycardia

Fading of the heart is a common manifestation of bradycardia. The symptom, unlike extrasystoles, is not isolated, but continues for several hours or days. If a person listens to his feelings, he notices that the heart begins to beat much less often. In this case, uniform, long pauses occur between beats, which are interpreted as freezing.

Bradycardia manifests itself in a number of cardiac diseases: coronary heart disease, myocarditis and pericarditis, congenital and acquired defects. A short-term slowdown in rhythm is observed with a reflex effect - a blow to the neck or chest, being in very cold water, squeezing the neck with a tie or tight collar. Bradycardia occurs with hypothyroidism, fulminant hepatitis, and hyperkalemia.

Vegetative-vascular dystonia

With VSD, the symptom develops due to disturbances in the nervous regulation of the cardiovascular system. Freezing is more often observed during excitement, fear, and stress. Vegetative-vascular dystonia is characterized by short-term interruptions in heart function, which are then replaced by tachycardia. Symptoms are complemented by shortness of breath and weakness, dizziness, and increased sweating.

Depression

Complaints of a sinking heart are a typical symptom of a masked form of depression. Symptoms typically appear in the early morning hours. In addition to freezing, patients complain of nagging pain, discomfort, and an unreasonable feeling of fear - the so-called “precardiac melancholy.” During the day and evening, these manifestations are less intense or disappear altogether. With masked depression, other complaints are also disturbing: sleep disturbances, hypochondriacal and panic disorders.

Complications of pharmacotherapy

Many drugs used to treat cardiac patients can cause arrhythmias. Fading of the heart is often provoked by taking beta-blockers, cardiac glycosides, and diuretics. A slowdown in rhythm combined with unpleasant sensations in the heart are observed with incorrect dosage of calcium and potassium solutions, which is accompanied by the development of hyperkalemia.

Heart sinking

Atherosclerosis

Menopause

9882 20 October

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section cannot be used for self-diagnosis and self-treatment.
In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, diagnostic tests should be prescribed only by the attending physician. To make a diagnosis and properly prescribe treatment, you should contact your doctor. Fading of the heart: causes of occurrence, what diseases it occurs with, diagnosis and treatment methods.

Description

Fading of the heart is a subjective feeling of the absence or skipping of another heartbeat in a certain period of time, accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the heart area, in some cases, dizziness and darkening of the eyes. Heart stopping is a symptom of a wide range of diseases: from the most harmless ones that do not require treatment to serious pathologies that require medical intervention.

Types of heart palpitations

Normally, the heart contracts rhythmically, at approximately equal intervals. The contraction frequency ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

There are several types of heart failure:

Fading of the heart due to a compensatory pause during extrasystole. There is a sensation of a strong or double heartbeat against the background of a normal rhythm, followed by a short pause felt by the patient.
Varying intervals between contractions can also cause the heart to feel as if it is stopping (common with atrial fibrillation).
Pauses of the heart due to blockade of impulses.
Feeling of freezing with reduced pumping function of the heart (with severe heart failure).

Possible causes of heart failure
First, we list the most common risk factors for cardiac problems:

Smoking
is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This also includes alcohol, caffeine and drugs.
High levels of “bad” cholesterol
- intermediate, low and very low density lipoproteins (IDL, LDL, VLDL).
High blood pressure
.

The feeling of interruptions and pauses in the work of the heart in most cases is caused by extrasystoles, or premature contractions of the heart.
Extrasystoles are often observed in completely healthy people, while there are no signs of myocardial dysfunction, and correction is not required.

However, if attacks of extrasystole exceed the permissible norms per day (diagnosis is carried out using daily ECG monitoring), additional examination and treatment are required.

Less commonly, the cause of heart failure is atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation) or blockade of the conduction system of the heart. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the electrical activity of the atria is disrupted with the occurrence of a large number of impulses and chaotic contraction of the atria.

Only a portion of the impulses pass to the ventricles of the heart in an irregular rhythm - hence the fading of the heart, as well as other unpleasant sensations.

Atrial fibrillation can occur in the form of attacks (paroxysms), or it can be permanent. The diagnosis is made based on the results of the ECG.

Blockades of the conduction system of the heart, depending on the severity, manifest themselves in different ways: from asymptomatic to loss of consciousness. Feelings of heart stopping most often occur with 2nd degree atrioventricular block.

There is a gradual depletion of the atrioventricular (AV, AV) node, a decrease in the ability to conduct impulses, and a kind of pause occurs, which the patient clearly feels.

Causes of disturbances in the structure of the conduction system of the heart:

myocardial infarction with subsequent replacement by connective tissue of destroyed heart structures, including important bundles that conduct electrical impulses from the sinus node;
coronary heart disease, when due to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, adequate blood supply to the myocardial areas in the area of the conduction bundles is disrupted and sclerodegenerative fibrosis (replacement with connective tissue) of the affected tissue areas develops;
myocarditis (inflammatory damage to the heart muscle);
dilated and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
congenital anomalies of the structure of the conduction system of the heart.

Sick sinus node syndrome (SSNS) is a rare condition caused by a decrease in the functional ability of the sinus node to act as the main pacemaker and ensure regular conduction of impulses to the atria, which predetermines the appearance of cardiac slowdown and accompanying arrhythmias.
Patients often complain of dizziness, poor exercise tolerance, shortness of breath on exertion, fatigue and episodes of weakness.

Many cardiac problems, which at first glance are not related to rhythm disturbances, can ultimately lead to the appearance of various arrhythmias, accompanied by a feeling of cardiac arrest. For example, with hypertension, the myocardial wall thickens and the nutrition of heart cells is disrupted, which leads to the appearance of ectopic (irregular) impulses. With various defects of the valve apparatus, without treatment, a gradual change in the structure of the heart muscle occurs with the appearance of connective tissue and disruption of the normal conduction pathways of the heart.

Among the non-cardiological reasons for the feeling of heart failure, it is worth noting the menopause, which is accompanied by changes in hormonal levels and various unpleasant sensations and discomfort not associated with disturbances in the functioning of the heart.

Hypothyroidism may cause a slow heartbeat (bradycardia) and a feeling of pauses in the heart. This is due to insufficient levels of thyroid hormones.

During intoxication (during infectious diseases, with severe sweating, vomiting and diarrhea), a loss of electrolytes (potassium, sodium and magnesium ions) occurs, which leads to disruption of the water-salt balance in the body and the occurrence of various rhythm disturbances.

Taking certain medications may be accompanied by a slower heart rate, slower impulse conduction, and a feeling of heart stopping. These drugs include cardiac glycosides, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, sympatholytic agents, antidepressants, and narcotic analgesics.

In persons with a labile psyche and frequent emotional experiences, a subjective feeling of discomfort in the chest area and cardiac arrest without visible organic pathology is possible.

Which doctors should I contact?

If various disturbances in the functioning of the heart occur, you should consult a cardiologist. To exclude non-cardiological causes of the feeling of heart failure, the cardiologist can refer you to a general practitioner and endocrinologist.

If the cause of heart rhythm disturbances is the use of medications, you must contact your doctor to adjust the dose or replace the drug.

Diagnosis and examination of cardiac arrest

First of all, to detect cardiac arrhythmias, counting the pulse and heart rate is used. When examining a patient, the doctor uses auscultation to listen to the heart rhythm and detect other accompanying symptoms in order to diagnose the disease that has caused the change in heart rate.

If a pathological change in heart rhythm is detected, a therapist or cardiologist will prescribe an electrocardiographic study (ECG).