If a high heart rate can't kill you ...

[gothic_beauty]

... then why do people get so concerned about the extent to which drugs, caffeine and other stimulants increase the heart rate? I've heard that one of the most common ways that people die of drug overdoses is by a rapid heart rate. Is this because drugs cause the heart to race faster than it would ever be able to do naturally? I've been suffering from periodic tachycardia for awhile now, which I am pretty sure is due to anxiety. It has been especially bad this week and I fear that it will eventually mimic the effect of a drug; that is, I will grow so anxious that my heart rate will be as high as it would be if I were taking drugs. If that were true, is it not possible that my high heart rate would be fatal or at least extremely dangerous? I'm so frustrated: my anxiety problem had all but disappeared until the past month or so and now it seems to have returned with a vengeance and grows worse every day. I just can't help but feel that it is more dangerous still than I think ...

[yarrow]

"I'm so frustrated: my anxiety problem had all but disappeared until the past month or so and now it seems to have returned with a vengeance and grows worse every day. I just can't help but feel that it is more dangerous still than I think ... "

First, if you haven't been checked out by a cardiologist, it would be a good idea to have it done once.  Then--when you almost certainly get your reassurance that your heart is fine--it's time to deal with the anxiety or panic.

Having suffered from periodic and mysterious bouts of panic and PVCs for decades now, I am of the opinion that (a) some people are just prone to this kind of thing and it's probably genetic, and (b) once you have it, the tendency is essentially part of your nature.  So when it flares up, just as if you had any other chronic, relapsing disease like Crohn's or Gout, you take care of the flareups with medications.

[cindy707]

It isn't actually the high heart rate that puts us at risk it is the "cause and effect" that puts us in danger.  Meaning that the heart would not be able to pump blood efficiently with a super high heart rate ...may become unstable..and then could come the issues of throwing a clot...etc.  With anxiety tho as Kay said with most people the heart recognizes that something is amiss and resets its own electrical activity and putting in back into a normal rhythm......anxiety can definately increase the heart rate and thats why its a great idea to get the anxiety under control thru the advice of your doctor.....

[kay2486]

ive had the same problem too, they say anxiety can't kill us as the heart will reset lf after a panic attack, that goes for people who do not have an electrical default, if there is a electrical problem or heart  present then it can turn nasty n make the heart pump insufficient

if you think u have a heart problem go to the doctor and get checked, if they picked nothing up then deal with the anxiety.

they wont let you home if u have a problem with the heart they will need to sort it.

i know what you mean by the drugs n caffeine making the heart pump faster, it's confusing i think but when we take drugs it depends on how well we deal with the drug, some could die after taking one pill because the body can't support what's happening, others take loads of drugs n are fine, what pisses me off is my boyf had a bad addiction with cocaine, drinks loads, drinks can after can of red bull, used to smoke where as i dont do any of that n im the bloody one whi gets pvcs n hes doesnt, ill feel really frustrated about it