Tachycardia: what it is and how to prevent it

Tachycardia is an accelerated heart rate caused by an abnormal contraction of the ventricles. In order to be considered tachycardia it must be a heart rate greater than one hundred beats, as between fifty and one hundred beats is considered a normal response of our body.

Tachycardia causes the heart to not pump blood efficiently to other parts of the body. This causes some tissues and organs to not get enough oxygen to function properly, in addition to problems such as dizziness, chest pain and even fainting.

Possible causes of tachycardia

This condition is usually caused by a lack of blood supply or hypertension. However, the abusive consumption of alcohol or an excessive emotional load could also lead to tachycardia.

The Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) assures that it is very important that people who are prone to suffer from this cardiac problem take all the necessary measures. The heart is the engine that moves the body, so if it were to fail, the risk would be very high.

How to prevent tachycardia

In order to effectively prevent tachycardia, two types of tachycardia can be distinguished according to their origin:

  • Internal: caused by factors that do not depend on the patient. If the reason for the tachycardia is a congenital anomaly or tissue involvement. The patient should see his physician for follow-up to avoid a recurrence.
  • External: caused by factors that have altered the patient. If the reason was a situation that generated stress or anxiety, the patient should try to regain calm by breathing slowly so that the heart rate stabilizes.
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Another advisable aspect to prevent a possible tachycardia is to reduce the consumption of tobacco, caffeine and alcohol, since they are harmful to the organism with regular consumption. On the other hand, narcotic substances can also cause tachycardia, so it is vital to rule them out completely in order to avoid cardiovascular disorders.

How to act when you notice an acceleration of the heart rate

In distressing situations, it is difficult to know what to do. For this reason, we leave you with a series of tips so that you know what to do if you find yourself in this situation:

  • Go quickly to a medical center as soon as the patient notices an abnormally elevated heart rate.
  • Tell the doctor if chest pain has been noticed, as this symptom is a sign that helps to determine if it is tachycardia.
  • Drinking lemon balm tea can help keep the heart rate from getting out of control.
  • Relaxing with valerian if tachycardia has already begun may also help reduce the rapid heart rate.