Rapid Heart Beat

I have been experiecning periodic rapid heartbeats over the past few weeks.   My doctor says it could be anxiety.  I find myself waking up in the middle of the night and my heart is racing.   I take deep breaths to try and calm down.  I sometimes feel slight pain on my left pectorial muscle, but it generally subsides within a second or two.    I have been taking Ativan to calm down and it really helps.  A firend of mine said that when I was sleeping the other night I was taking very shallow rapid breaths and he was concerned.

I had and EKG performed and my heart is registering as regular.   I am concerned that this could be leading to a bigger problem.  I feeling like I cannot workout, or overexert myself for fear of having a heartattack.

??? Help!

[CCF HeartMD5]

Your best bet would be to visit your doctor. You may describing symptoms of anxiety. Your symptoms do not sound like the typical pain of a heart attack. A rapid heart beat, palpitations, and the sensation of a racing heart may point to problems with the electrical or conduction system of the heart, rather than a problem related to coronary artery disease. Your doctor might suggest a Holter monitor, where your heart rate and rhythm can be monitored continuously for 48 hours. Your rapid shallow breathing at night may not be heart related, but should be further evaluated by your doctor.