Heart stumbling in the menopause
Many women also experience changes in heart rhythm during menopause. These often manifest themselves as a stumbling or racing heart and are due to so-called extrasystoles. This is an additional heart action that occurs outside of the normal rhythm.
As a rule, this is not dangerous and is due to a change in the hormonal balance. Nevertheless, an internist or cardiologist should clarify whether there is another, organic cause behind the heart stumble. For this purpose, an electrocardiogram (ECG) is usually recorded and possibly an ultrasound of the heart, an echocardiography, is performed.
Heart stumbling during pregnancy
It is not uncommon for a woman to experience heart palpitations during pregnancy. In this case, additional heart contractions occur outside the normal heart rhythm. During pregnancy the heart rate and blood pressure change due to hormonal changes in order to ensure that the baby receives sufficient care. An increase in the heart rate promotes the development of so-called extrasystoles, i.e. additional heartbeats.This is usually harmless and should disappear of its own accord after the pregnancy is terminated.
Heart stumbling caused by potassium
Potassium plays an important role in maintaining a regular heart rhythm. Together with magnesium, it is responsible for keeping the heart muscle cells at a certain level of excitement. If there is too little potassium in the body, the heart muscle cells are more easily excitable and an additional heartbeat (extrasystole) can be triggered more quickly.
A potassium deficiency can be caused by strong vomiting or diarrhoea, because the body then excretes more potassium. A potassium deficiency can also be associated with kidney disease. Likewise, the intake of medication for urination (diuretics) can lead to increased potassium excretion and a resulting potassium deficiency. You can recognize a magnesium deficiency from these symptoms
