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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Are Rapid Heartbeats Palpitations?
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Are Rapid Heartbeats Palpitations?
by Beverly-in-PCA, Dec 14, 1998 12:00AM
I am a 54-year-old female, not overweight, who has been diagnosed with PACs and (recently in Aug 98) reactive hypoglycemia. Since about Aug 97 I have been taking Inderal for the PACs and Lisinopril for blood pressure spikes. I've been to a dietian and am watching my diet and eating habits very carefully in order to avoid problems with the hypo.
Over the last 15 months I have been experiencing episodes of rapid heartbeat that seem to occur for no reason. Frequently during the night I am awakened by hard, rapid (about 90-100 beats per minute) heartbeats. It hurts it beats so hard. Then last Friday evening my heart beat at about 130 beats per minute for over three hours. I have had that happen several times in the last 15 months. Are these episodes related to palpitations?
Thank you for your help.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF CARDIO MD APS, Dec 14, 1998 12:00AM
Dear Beverly,
PACs are simply intermittent extra heart beats that can give the sense of a palpitation but they do not raise the heart rate.
The runs of palpitations your are experiencing are something different and require further evaluation (event recorder or 24-48 holter monitor)
to rule out an arrhythmia that needs treatment different than what you are getting. Good Luck and speak with your physician in the near future regarding
these new symptoms.
I hope that this information has been helpful, please write back with any further questions.
Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment
can only be made by your physician(s).
