Introduction
Stress can trigger or intensify a number of diseases. People who are sensitive to stress can get cardiac arrhythmia due to stress. This can lead to symptoms such as the perception of an irregular heartbeat (heart stumbling, extrasystoles), fainting spells and sudden cardiac death.
A cardiac arrhythmia is any heart rate that deviates from the normal heart rhythm. A distinction is made between a slowed heart rhythm (bradycardia) with less than 60 heartbeats per minute and an increased heart rhythm (tachycardia) of more than 100 heartbeats per minute. In addition, additional heart beats may occur (extrasystoles) or beats may stop.
The human body reacts to stress with an alarm reaction. Increased stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released. If the person affected can handle the stress reaction, he or she can cope with the problem quickly and sufficiently. If, on the other hand, the stress lasts for a longer period of time or if the person affected is overwhelmed by the situation, functional organ disorders may occur, possibly even cardiac arrhythmia. Less dangerous is tachycardia caused by stress.
Symptoms
By releasing stress hormones, the body is prepared to escape, the pulse (heart rate) increases and the heart pumps more blood in less time. The affected person notices the increased pulse, one is more attentive, the skin warms up. If the stress also causes cardiac arrhythmia, sufferers often notice a heart stumble, for example, the heart suddenly stops beating.
This feeling usually lasts only for a short moment, as the heart rhythm regulates itself again very quickly. If there is a lot of stress, however, a series of these failures can occur, which the person affected notices by an irregular pulse. The beating of the heart in a stressful situation is usually very clearly perceived in the chest or neck area. In addition, symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, sweating, and anxiety can occur. Some people also perceive the heart rhythm disturbances caused by stress as a kind of heartache or report a “vibrating” in the heart area.
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