Have you ever felt your heart racing, pounding in your chest, or beating faster than usual? This could be a sign of tachycardia, a condition where your heart rate exceeds the normal range. While it’s natural for your heart to speed up during exercise, stress, or excitement, tachycardia occurs when your heart beats too quickly at rest. This rapid rhythm can sometimes strain your heart and lead to other health concerns if left unchecked.
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What is Tachycardia?
Tachycardia is a characterized by a faster-than-normal resting heart rate, typically exceeding 100 beats per minute in adults. While a rapid heartbeat is a normal response to exercise, stress, or excitement, tachycardia at rest can signal an underlying issue with the heart’s electrical system or be a reaction to other factors like fever, anemia, or medication.
How Does It Work
To understand how tachycardia works, it’s important to understand your heart’s electrical system.
Your heart consists of four chambers, two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). Normally, a natural pacemaker called the sinus node in the right atrium controls your heartbeat. This sinus node utilizes an electrical impulse to start each of your heartbeats.
These electrical impulses go across your atria causing the muscles there to contract to pump blood into the ventricles. From there, the impulses reach the atrioventricular (AV) node, typically the only path for them to follow to travel to the ventricles.
The AV node slows down the electrical signal to give the ventricles enough time to fill with blood. Once the ventricles become filled with blood, the electrical signal stimulates the ventricles to contract, forcing blood to the lungs or other parts of the body.
But if anything disrupts the electrical signal in this complex system, tachycardia, bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or irregular heartbeat can occur.
Tachycardia Symptoms
Tachycardia symptoms can vary depending on which type of tachycardia you have. Most of the common symptoms include:
- Palpitations: An awareness of the heart beating unusually fast or irregularly, often felt in the chest or throat.
- Chest Fluttering: A sensation of rapid, irregular heartbeats that may feel like your heart is skipping beats or fluttering.
- Fainting (Syncope): Loss of consciousness caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow to the brain due to the heart’s inability to pump blood efficiently.
- Dizziness or Lightheadedness: A feeling of unsteadiness, which may result from inadequate blood supply to the brain. It can lead to fainting or a sense of spinning.
- Shortness of Breath: Difficulty breathing, which can occur as the heart struggles to pump enough oxygenated blood to the lungs and other organs.
- Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired or weak, even after minimal activity, due to the heart’s reduced efficiency in delivering oxygen to the body’s tissues.
- Chest Pain or Tightness (Angina): A feeling of discomfort, pressure, or squeezing in the chest. This occurs when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen due to fast or erratic heart rhythms.
- Bounding Pulse: An unusually strong or forceful pulse, which can occur when the heart is working harder to compensate for the abnormal rhythm.
- Nausea: Feeling sick to the stomach, which can be related to insufficient blood flow to the digestive system.
- Weakness: Generalized lack of strength, often a result of the heart’s inability to circulate blood effectively, leading to fatigue and reduced physical performance.
- Racing Heart or Irregular Heartbeats: A rapid or erratic heart rate that can feel like your heart is racing uncontrollably, which may be accompanied by a fluttering or pounding sensation in the chest.
Types of Tachycardia
Researchers and clinicians delineate several types of tachycardia. All of them involve some disruption of the electrical signal that works to keep your heart rate normal.
Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
SVT originates in the atria or the atrioventricular (AV) node due to abnormal electrical signals overriding the heart’s natural pacemaker.
Symptoms:
Palpitations, rapid pulse, chest discomfort, dizziness, or fainting.
Causes:
Stress, excessive caffeine or alcohol, fatigue, or anxiety.
Subtypes:
- Atrial Fibrillation (AFib): Irregular, often rapid heartbeat.
- Atrial Flutter: Similar to AFib but with a more organized electrical rhythm.
- Paroxysmal SVT: Episodes that begin and end suddenly.
Affected Groups:
- Children
- Women more than men
- Smokers, heavy drinkers, or those who consume excessive caffeine
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation occurs due to chaotic, irregular electrical impulses in the atria, causing rapid, weak, and uncoordinated contractions. It is the most common type of tachycardia.
Symptoms:
Heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
Causes:
High blood pressure, heart disease, excessive alcohol, electrolyte imbalance, ectopic beats, stress, or overactive thyroid.
Duration:
Episodes may be temporary but can become persistent and require treatment.
Atrial Flutter
Atrial flutter is characterized by a fast but regular heartbeat due to irregular circuitry in the atria. This results in weak atrial contractions.
Symptoms:
Palpitations, fatigue, and sometimes chest discomfort.
Causes:
Heart disease, prior surgeries, or excessive stress.
Duration:
Episodes may resolve on their own or require medical intervention. People with atrial flutter often experience atrial fibrillation as well.
Ventricular Fibrillation (VFib)
VFib occurs when chaotic electrical impulses cause the ventricles to quiver rather than contract, preventing blood from circulating properly.
Symptoms:
Sudden collapse, loss of consciousness, and no pulse.
Causes:
Heart attacks, electrical shocks, or severe trauma.
Risk:
This is a medical emergency and can be fatal if not treated with an electric shock (defibrillation) immediately.
Ventricular Tachycardia
VT originates in the ventricles due to disrupted electrical signals, causing a rapid heartbeat.
Symptoms:
Palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, or loss of consciousness.
Causes:
Heart disease, electrolyte imbalances, drug use, medication side effects, sarcoidosis, reduced coronary blood flow, cardiomyopathy, or previous heart attacks.
Risk:
While brief episodes may not cause harm, prolonged episodes can be life-threatening and require emergency treatment.
Sinus Tachycardia
This is a normal increase in heart rate where the sinoatrial node fires faster than usual due to certain conditions.
Symptoms:
A faster-than-normal heartbeat that feels regular.
Causes:
- Common: Fear, anxiety, fever, adrenaline rush, or strenuous exercise
- Less common: Severe bleeding, hyperthyroidism, anemia, or heart damage
Duration:
It’s usually a normal response to external triggers and resolves once the trigger is addressed.
POTS
Activation of the sympathetic nervous system in normal people tends to bring about an increase in heart rate by 10-15 beats per minute and a slight increase in blood pressure. This becomes normalized very quickly by an automatic response involving blood vessel dilation.
However, with some people, this mechanism fails and the normalization of blood flow to the heart and brain doesn’t occur. This sets in motion POTS and tachycardia symptoms.
POTS syndrome refers to a collection of symptoms. These symptoms occur throughout your body because the functions of the autonomic nervous system affect all parts of your body.
Symptoms:
- Lightheadedness or dizziness. These occur typically upon standing or when sitting for a long time. It feels like almost fainting. About 30% of people with POTS do experience syncope.
- Fatigue and lethargy. A vast majority of people with POTS experience significant fatigue.
- Fast heart rate. A sense of your heart pounding commonly occurs with POTS. Atrial fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia symptoms may become triggered.
- Brain fog. Common before or after bouts of POTS, this may reflect blood profusion problems to the brain.
- Visual problems. Excessive glare, blurriness, or tunnel vision can occur with POTS.
Causes:
- Nervous System Dysfunction: A dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system (which regulates involuntary bodily functions) leads to improper regulation of heart rate and blood flow.
- Hypovolemia (Low Blood Volume): Some individuals with POTS have decreased blood volume, which contributes to an inadequate blood supply when standing.
- Chronic Illness or Viral Infections: POTS is sometimes triggered by viral infections such as Epstein-Barr virus, mononucleosis, or flu-like illnesses.
- Autoimmune Disorders: Conditions such as lupus or Sjögren’s syndrome may contribute to POTS through immune system dysfunction or inflammation.
- Hormonal Imbalances: Hormonal changes, including those related to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or thyroid issues, may exacerbate POTS symptoms.
- Connective Tissue Disorders: Conditions like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) are linked to POTS due to increased joint laxity and impaired vascular function.
Potential Complications of Tachycardia
As with any health condition, tachycardia brings with it some potential complications. These complications depend on the type of tachycardia you experience, how long your rapid heartbeat lasts, how fast your heart beats, and any underlying heart condition you may suffer from.
Possible complications include:
- Heart Failure: Chronic tachycardia can weaken the heart muscle over time, leading to heart failure. When the heart beats too quickly, it doesn’t have enough time to fill with blood, resulting in reduced cardiac output.
- Stroke: If tachycardia is caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib), the irregular heart rhythm can lead to blood clots forming in the atria. If a clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke.
- Cardiac Arrest: Certain types of tachycardia, such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, can be life-threatening and may lead to sudden cardiac arrest if not treated promptly.
- Coronary Artery Disease: Chronic tachycardia can place increased stress on the heart, potentially worsening existing coronary artery disease and increasing the risk of heart attack.
- Syncope (Fainting): A fast heart rate can reduce blood flow to the brain, causing dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting.
- Myocardial Ischemia: The heart muscle may not receive enough oxygen when it beats too fast, potentially leading to chest pain or a heart attack.
- Excessive Fatigue: Persistent tachycardia can lead to fatigue, as the heart is working harder than usual, which can result in reduced energy levels.
- Organ Damage: In severe cases, prolonged tachycardia can lead to insufficient blood flow to organs like the kidneys, liver, and brain, which can cause long-term damage.
- Blood Pressure Changes: Tachycardia can cause fluctuations in blood pressure, leading to either high blood pressure or hypotension (low blood pressure), both of which can be problematic for overall cardiovascular health.
Risk Factors for Developing Tachycardia
As with many illness conditions, a family history of tachycardia will increase your risk of developing the condition. In addition, any other condition that puts a strain on your heart or that may damage heart tissue can increase your risk. For example, these conditions include:
- High blood pressure
- Heavy alcohol use
- Heavy caffeine use
- Heart disease
- Anemia
- Diabetes
- Overactive or underactive thyroid
- Anxiety or stress
- Use of stimulant drugs
- Sleep apnea
- Smoking
Chronic Stress and Tachycardia
Chronic stress is a common condition, but it can lead to a condition known as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various nonspecific symptoms such as tiredness, sleep disturbances, anxiousness, and weight gain.
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome begins when chronic stress depletes your adrenal glands’ ability to produce sufficient cortisol to fight the effects of stress. This condition develops over time, beginning as subclinical symptoms and eventually developing into a debilitating condition.
The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response is another natural mechanism that your body uses to deal with stress and to attempt to maintain homeostasis. The NEM consists of six inter-related circuits with three organs or systems in each circuit.
What affects one of these circuits also affects others due to the inter-related nature of the circuits. And when one of the circuits becomes dysregulated due to chronic stress, others will also become dysregulated, generating sometimes significant symptoms, including severe tachycardia.
The Cardionomic Circuit’s Role In Tachycardia Symptoms
The Cardionomic circuit of the NEM is the most involved in tachycardia symptoms. This circuit consists of the cardiovascular system, the autonomic nervous system, and the adrenal glands.
Your autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions of your body including heart rate, blood pressure, and the fight or flight response to stress. Neurotransmitters and hormones such as acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (adrenaline) work to regulate the autonomic nervous system. Any condition affecting the autonomic nervous system is called dysautonomia.
POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, is one type of dysautonomia that involves low blood pressure and fast heart rate when standing. When you lie down, around 25% of your blood pools in your chest cavity. So, if you stand up, a significant amount of that blood is pulled to the lower part of your body by gravity. Therefore, in order to prevent fainting and to assure sufficient blood to your brain, the sympathetic nervous system, one aspect of the autonomic nervous system, activates and releases norepinephrine into your bloodstream. It quickly reaches your heart and peripheral blood vessels, narrowing them and increasing your heart rate. As a result, more blood flow to your brain prevents fainting.
Without norepinephrine, you could not remain in an upright position for day-to-day living. A lot of the POTS and tachycardia symptoms come from an inability to move blood quickly to the brain.
Norepinephrine and Chronic Stress
When you come under stress from any source, your body releases cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine to deal with it. But under ordinary circumstances, once the stress diminishes and your body returns to normal, the levels of these hormones also return to normal.
However, if stress continues and becomes chronic, more and more norepinephrine floods your system. Sympathetic overtone occurs in a body chronically flooded with norepinephrine. As a result, your brain remains continually on high alert and your heart remains ready to run from stressors or fight them. People who suffer from advanced Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome live continually in a state of alarm as a result of this response to stress.
This leaves your cardiovascular system at risk for POTS and tachycardia symptoms.
The Role of Epinephrine
Another of the neurotransmitters/hormones affecting the autonomic nervous system is epinephrine. This very powerful biochemical plays a minimal role in everyday life, but when stress becomes severe and chronic, its role increases. Your body’s last response to stress, epinephrine comes from the fight or flight response. Above all, its role is to supply blood to your brain and muscles so you can survive.
If epinephrine continues to flood your system, significant symptoms can develop. Your heart rate will rise significantly due to the nodes supplying electrical impulses to your heart being bathed in epinephrine. They can become overstimulated and ultimately damaged.
This may result in several conditions that occur due to an irregular heartbeat. In addition, an excessive heart rate leads to increased reactive metabolites at a cellular level, which then cause abrasion to the cardiac nodes due to inflammation.
Natural Strategies for Regulating Tachycardia
A number of natural methods for regulating the cardionomic circuit and normalizing many of the tachycardia symptoms can be utilized. For example:
If in an acute Tachycardia attack:
- Carotid Sinus Massage. Your healthcare professional may try gentle massage on your neck where the carotid artery splits into its two branches.
- Eyeball Pressure. Another intervention consists of gently pressing on your eyeballs with your eyes closed. A trained healthcare professional should do this procedure.
- Valsalva Maneuver. This procedure consists of holding both nostrils closed while blowing air through your nose.
- Dive Reflex. This reflex occurs when your body suddenly becomes immersed in cold water. It produces bradycardia, among other actions.
Supplements to Try
Here are a few supplements that are recommended to support heart health and calm heart rate down:
- Magnesium – This mineral plays a crucial role in heart health. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps the heartbeat steady. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with various heart issues.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Found in fish oil and flaxseeds, omega-3s are known to benefit heart health by reducing inflammation and improving cardiovascular risk factors.
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – This antioxidant, which can be taken as a supplement, helps provide energy to cells and has been shown to be beneficial in heart health maintenance.
- Potassium – Adequate potassium levels are essential for proper heart function. It helps regulate heartbeat and is important in muscle function, including the muscles of the heart. Make sure to get levels checked with your provider.
- Taurine – An amino acid that is thought to have beneficial effects on heart muscle function and helps regulate heartbeat and muscle contractions.
- Phosphatidylserine – It may help manage tachycardia by reducing stress-induced increases in cortisol, potentially stabilizing heart rate.
Avoid Overstimulating Herbs, Meds, and Supplements
- Avoid metabolic stimulants such as weight reduction medications.
- Avoid natural compounds that may stimulate the body such as adrenal glandulars.
- Stay away from caffeine and non-herbal tea.
- Do not use stimulatory herbs such as green tea, ashwagandha, and licorice.
- Avoid excess thyroid replacement hormones that may overstimulate the heart and metabolism.
Additional Medications to Avoid
- If possible, avoid sleeping medications.
- Avoid SSRI and antidepressant medications if possible.
- Stay away from medical cannabis, even though you may gain some benefits from it.
- Avoid cardiac anti-arrhythmic medications unless you have no choice.
- However, do not stop taking medications or supplements abruptly to avoid rebound reactions.
Improve Detoxification and Liver Function
- Decrease systemic inflammation to reduce reactive metabolites
- Support liver function gently but don’t incur a detoxification reaction
- Help the body gradually remove toxic agents.
- Decrease congestion of the extracellular matrix to increase the smooth flow of epinephrine and norepinephrine metabolites from your body.
Lifestyle Factors
- Adrenal Breathing exercises every hour to help turn parasympathetic nervous system on.
- Keep temperatures as constant as possible
- Avoid over-exercising because it can lower your ability to clear epinephrine from your body. Use gentle core exercises to support your parasympathetic response.
- Be sure to stay hydrated to keep up blood volume.
- Maintain stable electrolytes, particularly potassium and sodium.
Address Adrenal Fatigue and Reduce Stress
- Decrease emotional stress that may increase reactive metabolites
- Rebalance cortisol output from the adrenals to normalize the HPA axis
- Gently support the adrenal glands but do not overstimulate them.
- Consider using the adrenal fatigue diet.
- Talk to a health professional about going on an adrenal recovery plan.
Conclusion
There are many different types of tachycardia that can lead to tachycardia symptoms. In general, symptoms can range from hardly any to very severe. Regardless of the intensity of your symptoms, if your tachycardia continues you should consult with your healthcare professional. Continuing tachycardia symptoms may indicate an underlying more serious disorder.
Tachycardia symptoms may also present similar symptoms to those found in Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. One of the symptoms of advanced AFS is tachycardia. This suggests adrenal issues or imbalances in the Cardionomic circuit of the NEM could be involved.
Disturbances of the Cardionomic circuit of the NEM stress response may also lead to tachycardia in the form of POTS. Addressing your tachycardia symptoms from a natural standpoint with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome in mind may be of benefit.
If you are suffering from tachycardia symptoms, here are a few things you can do to alleviate the situation.
- Consult with your healthcare professional to get an accurate assessment.
- If you suffer from Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, do what you can to reduce your overall stress load.
- Even if you only experience very mild tachycardia symptoms, consult your healthcare professional to make sure there is no underlying, serious condition.
Don’t let tachycardia control your life. Give us a call today at +1 (626) 571-1234 to speak with one of our knowledgeable professionals. We’re dedicated to helping you achieve better health and well-being. Reach out now, and take the first step towards a healthier, more balanced life. Your health and peace of mind are our top priorities.
Learn More:
» Read our complete long-read article on tachycardia symptoms and Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome
» Adrenal Fatigue FAQs
» Take our 3-minute test to see if you may have Adrenal Fatigue