Synonyms in the broadest sense
Extra heartbeat, heart stutter, ventricular extrasystoles, supraventricular extrasystoles, palpitations, palpitation
Definition
An extrasystole is a heartbeat that occurs outside of the normal heart rate in the normal rhythm. Extrasystoles occur very frequently, even in healthy people. In most cases, extrasystoles go unnoticed or they manifest themselves as “heart stumbling or skipping”.
A distinction is made according to the origin of the extrasystole:
- Supraventricular extrasystole and
- Ventricular extrasystole
Individual supraventricular extrasystoles (extra sawing from the atrium) interspersed in the basic sinus rhythm are often and usually a harmless coincidence. The cells that generate the “out-of-sync” potential are located in the atrium. They do not belong to the normal stimulation system like e.g. the sinus node.
They are called ectopic excitation centers. Heart stumbling is to be classified in the group of cardiac arrhythmia. There can be several causes for cardiac stuttering.
It is caused by abnormal activity of the ventricle, which leads to an additional (“extra”) heartbeat outside the normal pulse (so-called extrasystole). In general, heart stumbling can be completely without symptoms and even go unnoticed by the person affected, but it can also lead to clearly noticeable symptoms. A cardiac stutter can be caused by an extrasystole that originates either in the atrium (so-called supraventricular extrasystole) or in the ventricle itself (so-called ventricular extrasystole).
A cardiac stumble caused by a supraventricular extrasystole is often not noticed by those affected and does not necessarily mean that heart disease is present, as it can also occur in completely healthy individuals. Persons who react anxiously to the additional heartbeats can react with outbreaks of sweating, nervous restlessness and increased heart rate. On the other hand, heart stumbling, which is caused by ventricular extrasystoles, is clearly perceived by those affected.
In this case, a clearly perceptible and above all irregular heartbeat can occur in connection with the heart stumbling. The additional heartbeats can also be perceived as particularly strong. The feeling of an “exuberant heartbeat” can also occur.
A feeling of breathlessness can also be experienced as an accompanying symptom. Affected persons also report dizziness and light-headedness and may feel tired and weak, especially after major exertion such as after sports. Pain in the chest or a feeling of anxiety can also be a side effect.
Again, people who are sensitive to the additional, clearly perceptible heartbeats may develop anxiety, which in turn may be associated with symptoms such as sweating, nervous restlessness and trembling. A subsequent panic attack can develop into fear of death and cause fainting (syncope). In this case, the psyche plays a greater role on the body than the effect of the extrasystole itself. Supraventricular extrasystoles usually do not produce any symptoms. Palpitations or stumbling of the heart rarely occur.
