Potassium and heart stumbling | Heart stumbling – How dangerous is that?

Potassium and heart stumbling

In our body there is a delicate electrolyte balance. Electrolytes are the individual, charged particles, such as sodium, magnesium or potassium. A lack or surplus of electrolytes can have effects on the entire organism.

For example, a potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) can often be accompanied by cardiac extrasystoles, better known as heart stumbling. But how does a potassium deficiency occur? The most common causes are severe gastrointestinal infections with vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as the intake of certain diuretics (loop diuretics).

But also the abuse of laxatives can lead to a loss of potassium. One speaks of a potassium deficiency if the concentration in blood serum is below 3.6 mmol/l.By the missing potassium now individual procedures within the range of the excitation formation and further training at the heart can be disturbed. As consequence affected persons feel Herzstolpern!

Heart stumbling when inhaling

Many patients, especially children and adolescents, have irregularities in their heart rate during breathing. During inhalation (inspiration) it increases, during exhalation (expiration) it decreases again. This process happens naturally (physiologically) and has no disease value.

The physician then speaks of a “respiratory sinus arrhythmia”, RSA for short. There are various explanations for this phenomenon, including a link between nerve centers of respiration and heart activity. In most cases, RSA goes unnoticed and is often a random finding.

Sometimes, however, those affected can feel the changes as a heart stumbling! Especially if the pause between two heartbeats is prolonged, the symptom appears during inhalation. Nevertheless, this form of heart stuttering is harmless and does not need to be treated. Physical training can help under certain circumstances.