Tachycardia and shortness of breath | Tachycardia after a meal – How dangerous is it?

Tachycardia and shortness of breath

Breathlessness can occur if the chyme enters the windpipe instead of the esophagus. However, this circumstance is characterized by coughing attacks and a feeling of suffocation. A further possibility of shortness of breath, however, is the so-called angina pectoris. A typical symptom accompanying a heart attack, which is characterized by the fact that those affected have the feeling that a heavy load is being placed on their chest. In this case, too, breathing is difficult for the affected person; it can even go as far as a fear of suffocation.

Tachycardia and alcohol

Alcohol is a risk factor for the development of tachycardia that is independent of food and is also a much greater risk factor. Thus it could be proven in studies that humans with increased alcohol level showed more heart rhythm disturbances than sober humans. However, not every consumption of alcohol leads to the development of arrhythmia in everyone. Furthermore, the consumption of alcohol and the consumption of food means that a relatively large amount of the body’s blood has to be used for digestion and the breakdown of alcohol. In extreme cases, this can lead to reduced blood flow to the heart, which can then lead to cardiac arrhythmia.

Is palpitations after eating dangerous?

If there is no sharp drop in blood pressure or shock as the heart races, it is not dangerous in itself.It is important to find out why the heart is racing. The underlying underlying disease should be treated in any case. If the palpitations occur regularly after eating and are accompanied by other symptoms, a clarification should be made by the family doctor.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of tachycardia after a meal can be made in the first step by taking a detailed medical history, i.e. by asking the patient about symptoms, previous illnesses, previous operations, taking medication and the like. This can already provide initial indications of possible causes for tachycardia, such as stomach surgery or incipient type II diabetes. An ECG recording is also useful in this context to rule out heart disease. In addition, the blood can be examined. In particular, the hemoglobin (Hb) value, so-called cardiac enzymes, thyroid gland values and blood sugar under certain conditions can be helpful for diagnosis.