Tachycardia during pregnancy | Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)

Tachycardia during pregnancy

During pregnancy the body of the pregnant woman is exposed to extraordinary stress. Her cardiovascular system must suddenly supply two bodies. This is often accompanied by noticeable changes, so many pregnant women complain of palpitations and an increased pulse rate.

This is often due to the fact that the heart has to pump more blood through the body. This is due to the fact that on the one hand it beats more strongly, i.e. pumps more blood per heartbeat into the circulation, but on the other hand the beat frequency must also increase in order to generate the required power. This is perceived as tachycardia and is usually harmless and not pathological, as long as there are no accompanying heart rhythm disturbances, this can be ruled out by an ECG, for example.

Often the fast heartbeat of pregnant women is additionally increased during stress or other strains, so that only in such situations does a disturbing tachycardia occur.In a very advanced pregnancy, palpitations may occur when the woman is in a supine position. This can be a symptom of the vena cava compression syndrome. In this case, the vena cava, also known as the vena cava, is squeezed by the weight of the uterus and child. Since the vena cava brings the blood from the body back to the heart, this condition is accompanied by considerable circulatory problems and palpitations and is a serious clinical picture. Prophylactically, it is easiest to avoid lying on your back for long periods of time.

Cause of tachycardia

Congenital anomalies of the cardiac conduction system are the cause of tachycardia. A prerequisite for this is the existence of two electrical pathways between the atrium and the ventricle that are insulated from each other. Usually the only connection is the AV node.

Either there is an additional lead bundle (Kent bundle) or the AV node itself is split in the middle and leads two isolated leads. Usually the lines differ in the speed at which they can conduct the potentials of the sine node (one is slower, the other faster). This allows excitations to circulate, i.e. the potentials conducted by the faster path fall quasi backwards into the slower bundle and travel in the wrong direction back to the AV node, where they are again conducted via the faster bundle.

There are numerous causes for tachycardia occurring at night. On the one hand, heart disease can lead to tachycardia at night. On the other hand, an overactive thyroid gland, the consumption of alcohol or alcohol withdrawal in addicts can also be associated with tachycardia at night.

One of the most common symptoms of the menopause is tachycardia caused by hormonal changes, which often occurs at night. The palpitations are often accompanied by hot flushes, which occur in about 70% of women. As a rule, the hot flushes begin with indisposition or a slight headache.

Afterwards, a heat wave spreads over the body, the face reddens and sweats break out. Often there is also a strong palpitations or palpitations of the heart. If the sweating subsides, most of those affected shiver.

Such an attack usually lasts for a few minutes, and when it is over, the palpitations usually subside. Another cause of tachycardia at night can be a panic attack. The affected person wakes up, often trembling or breathing problems occur in addition to the palpitations. Younger people are often affected by panic attacks occurring at night. They often indicate worries and excessive demands.