Causes of tachycardia
Unfortunately, alcohol does not only affect the brain, where it creates an often desired state of intoxication, but also the rest of the body. There it can cause less desirable side effects – for example, palpitations, but also high blood pressure and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). These effects are due to an activation of the sympathetic nervous system in the diencephalon.
The sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system that puts us into a general combat readiness (fight-or-flight reaction). As a result, the performance of the heart is increased, the heart rate and the expelled blood volume increase. This in turn leads to an increase in blood pressure.
If the heart rate rises above 100 beats per minute, one speaks of tachycardia, colloquially known as tachycardia or tachycardia. Tachycardia can be caused by many diseases, some of which are dangerous and for which a clarification is useful. Rhythm disturbances caused by alcohol are usually harmless and disappear within 24 hours.
These supraventricular tachycardias, as in this case atrial fibrillation, occur preferentially in young men a few hours after excessive alcohol consumption. For this reason it is also called Holiday Heart Syndrome. When the atria fibrillate, there is no functional cardiac arrest as in ventricular fibrillation, but an absolute arrhythmia results – the heart beats too fast and very irregularly.
In the event of multiple occurrences, it is recommended to avoid large amounts of alcohol and to consult a cardiologist for clarification. Stress mainly affects the vegetative or autonomic nervous system, which is not subject to arbitrary control. Stress leads to activation of the sympathetic nervous system, a part of the autonomic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system in turn leads to the release of signal substances such as the catecholamines norepinephrine and adrenaline, which in turn leads to an increase in cardiac output. More precisely, the heart rate increases and a larger volume of blood is expelled. In addition, the blood vessels are narrowed, causing an increase in blood pressure, the lungs are dilated and the activity of the digestive tract is inhibited, we are virtually ready to fight.
From an evolutionary point of view, this stress reaction is helpful because it puts people on alert to ensure survival in dangerous situations.However, it has a harmful effect if the sympathetic nervous system is permanently very active (this is not an acute, short-lived stress situation). The consequences of long-term stress, which can be both physical and psychological in nature, are therefore often felt in the heart. This is because the activation of the sympathetic nervous system can lead to tachycardia, i.e. a heartbeat that is too fast (more than 100 beats per minute).
If the heart beats too fast over a longer period of time, the risk of further rhythm disturbances increases. Since the heart can only adapt to the permanent stress situation to a limited extent, it is overloaded in the long run. This in turn is a risk factor for various other heart diseases, such as coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack in the final stages, or cardiac insufficiency.
You can find more information about this at: Tachycardia due to stressThe thyroid gland produces the hormones triiodotyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which are essential for human life. They are basically responsible for stimulating the metabolism, increasing cardiac output and producing heat. They are also needed for intellectual development and longitudinal growth.
However, these two hormones also enhance the effect of catecholamines, which include norepinephrine and adrenaline. Norepinephrine and adrenaline increase the heart rate (chronotropy) and the muscle power of the heart (inotropy) or, more generally, the cardiac output. This means that a larger volume of blood is expelled at shorter intervals.
A narrowing of the blood vessels also leads to an increase in blood pressure. Since the heart has to pump a larger volume against a higher pressure, the heart work also increases. If there is too much T3 and T4 in the blood due to hyperthyroidism, the increased adrenaline action will drive the heart much more than is actually necessary.
This is why hyperthyroidism often leads to tachycardia, which can increase to atrial fibrillation. If, in addition to tachycardia, there is exophthalmia (widely protruding eyes), high blood pressure, increased reflexes and weight loss, hyperthyroidism is very likely the cause of tachycardia. Tachycardia can occur not only during heavy physical exertion, but also at complete rest and at night.
Many sufferers even report problems exclusively during the night. This does not necessarily have to be something bad, but it cannot be ruled out either. Therefore a doctor should be consulted in any case to clarify this.
In most cases, however, it is “benign” tachycardia, which originates from the sinus node or the atria. This form is called supraventricular tachycardia. Causes can range from excessive alcohol consumption to hormonal changes during the menopause.
An overactive thyroid should be ruled out because thyroid hormones have a cardiac-driving effect. Tachycardia can also be an indication of high blood pressure or anemia. In this case, the body tries to compensate for the lack of oxygen by distributing the blood more quickly in the body, i.e. faster heartbeats.
However, nocturnal tachycardia can also be a sign of serious illnesses, for example ventricular tachycardia (the heart beats from the ventricle). This can lead to ventricular fibrillation, which is a life-threatening condition. Atrial fibrillation can also lead to tachycardia due to an absolute arrhythmia.
Tachycardia can also be an indication of coronary heart disease or a heart attack. It can also be caused by poisoning or a pulmonary embolism. In any case, it is important to find out what causes the night-time heart palpitations.
When your heart is racing, you can feel its increased pulse down to your throat and throughout your chest. As a rule, tachycardia begins relatively suddenly and gradually stops again. Feeling your own heartbeat is a frequent accompanying symptom, physicians speak of palpitations. Simultaneously with the palpitations, a heart stumbling can occur, which is caused by an irregular heartbeat and can be a symptom of atrial fibrillation, but can also occur with harmless palpitations. Accompanying the tachycardia, a short unconsciousness may occur because the circulation function may be restricted by the massively increased heart rate.
