Rapid heartbeat after alcohol: reasons, what to do to calm the heart

What to do if your heart rate changes

What needs to be done in this case.

When the heart rate is no more than 120 beats per minute:

· Give any sedatives to calm the nervous system. For example: Glycine - 1 gram at a time (this is 10 tablets of Glycine Bio or 2 tablets of Glycine Premium).

· Give any blood-thinning drug to prevent the risk of heart attack or stroke - Aspirin, Cardiomagnyl, etc.

· If you have high blood pressure, use antispasmodics No-Spa 2 tablets at a time.

This is the safest way to alleviate the patient's condition.

Case from practice

A patient came to see me who complained of rapid heartbeat after drinking alcohol for a month. This symptom had not been noted before. According to him, he drank 100 g of vodka from a friend, after which he felt sick and dizzy. There was a pressing sensation in the chest, the pulse increased to 120 beats/min. There are no changes on the ECG; a stress test revealed slight ischemia along the posterior wall of the left ventricle and an increase in pulse to 95 beats/min. Recommended: use of sedatives, reducing alcohol consumption to a minimum. After two weeks, the patient noted an improvement in his condition, and the attacks no longer recurred.

When is it time to see a doctor

Tachycardia, high pulse and palpitations can lead to serious complications. Remember if:

· heartbeat more than 120 beats;

· systal pressure is increased by more than 20-30 millimeters of mercury;

· the patient is over 40 years old, the risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart attack increases significantly.

you need to consult a doctor. If the condition arose due to alcohol abuse , then it is better to seek the help of a narcologist at home or in a hospital .

The doctor will begin by recording an electrocardiogram, in order to exclude acute conditions, and will cleanse the body after alcohol.

Typical manifestations

Tachycardia after alcohol has the following symptoms:

pulse increases to 110 or more;
there is chest pain and severe weakness;
the functioning of the conduction system is disrupted (sinus, atrial, ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation or extrasystolic arrhythmia appears).

Patients complain of a feeling of strong heartbeat or “interruptions,” darkening in the eyes, dizziness, and shortness of breath. When ventricular tachycardia develops, a burning sensation in the chest, fear of death, and paleness of the skin appear. This condition requires immediate hospitalization to urgently restore rhythm.

Gross mistakes

The use of B-blockers (drugs that deliberately slow down the heartbeat) - used by doctors under the guise of infusion therapy ( drips ) where we administer electrolyte drugs - is only allowed in this case.
Give emergency medications, for example, Nifedipine, Captopril to lower blood pressure, if the pressure has increased by no more than 20-30 mmHg. These drugs will undoubtedly lower your blood pressure, but they work for no more than 3-5 hours, and then the pressure will creep up again. Allowed if the pressure is very high for the patient, but after consulting a doctor.

Two groups of these drugs are familiar to cardiac patients and are available over the counter. Remember, these drugs will undoubtedly slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure - but you will get brain hypoxia, and as soon as the effect ends, all these symptoms will return and you will only make things worse.

This can cause a stroke. Therefore, until there is proper sedation and the electrolyte balance is restored, these symptoms are a protective reaction of the body.

It happens that after a binge and a course of IV drips, the heartbeat remains more than 80 beats at rest. In this case, we prescribe salt preparations Panangin, Asparkam or enhanced nutrition (dried apricots, prunes, honey).

Expert advice

To prevent heart rhythm disturbances after drinking alcohol, I recommend:

do not combine drinking alcohol and physical activity;
do not drink on an empty stomach;
know your norm so that there is no intoxication;
if you have diseases of the heart, intestines, stomach, vascular system and metabolic disorders, avoid “strong drinks”;
listen to the body's reactions.

If there is an increase in blood pressure or pain in the heart, you should not drink during the acute period. It is not necessary to completely eliminate alcohol; the most important thing is not to abuse it, choose only high-quality drinks. It is also important to consult with your doctor about the possibility of combining them with medications. Many drugs in combination with alcohol can cause poisoning or an unpredictable reaction.

Helpful information

Find out:

Rules and features of treating blood pressure from pommel .
diarrhea and repeated vomiting occur after alcohol abuse and how are these conditions treated?
What does alcohol poisoning and how does delirium tremens ?
Why does a patient experience depression after binge drinking and what to do in this case.
How effective is succinic acid in eliminating hangover syndrome, and how can it be used independently?

Why does tachycardia develop?

After ingestion, alcohol is absorbed in the stomach within 5 minutes.
With the bloodstream, it penetrates the liver and is partially broken down. Excess of it turns into acetaldehyde - a very toxic substance that poisons the entire body and negatively affects the functioning of the heart muscle. It is finally eliminated from the body only after 5–7 hours. The repeated entry of alcohol into the body can provoke vasospasm - as a result, blood pressure increases and the pulse quickens. The heart lacks oxygen and nutrients. The mechanism of this deviation occurs in two directions - due to a narrowing of the lumen of the coronary arteries and due to an increase in the need for oxygen under conditions of intense work. The same processes occur in the brain.

At the same time, ethanol disrupts the sensitivity of the myocardium, and the conduction system fails. Additional areas of excitation appear, the heart contracts irregularly and unevenly.

Constant consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to atrophic changes in the heart muscle and circulatory failure. And these processes further provoke disturbances in the conduction system. A vicious circle arises that can only be broken by stopping poisoning yourself with ethanol. Otherwise, there is a high probability of death.

The ability of alcohol to remove fluid in the urine over time leads to thickening of the blood and the appearance of blood clots. This is how alcoholic cardiomyopathy develops, and paroxysmal or chronic tachycardia is a common symptom.

About the effect of alcohol on blood pressure and how much you can drink according to the recommendations of the American Mayo Clinic, see here:

Screening for people with heart problems caused by alcohol

Patients who have cardiovascular diseases or are prone to developing them and who drink alcohol frequently and in large quantities should definitely be examined.
It is good if diagnostic procedures are suitable at the stage of preparation for coding in a narcology clinic. Then the doctor will be able to tell which option of anti-alcohol therapy is most appropriate, and the cardiologist will prescribe an effective treatment program for the identified cardiac disorders. When identifying alcoholic cardiomyopathy, the following diagnostic measures are used:

Examination and interview of the addict. The doctor finds out how long ago and what kind of alcoholic compounds the patient has been taking, whether he was previously coded, and whether he underwent therapy for cardiac pathology.
Study of percussion and auscultation patterns. The specialist listens to heart sounds and taps the chest area. Particular attention is paid to noise and rhythm.
Carrying out ECG and ultrasound. These diagnostic methods are highly accurate, safe and effective. Based on their results, the cardiologist can easily make the correct diagnosis.

It is very important that a person undergoing diagnosis and planning treatment for heart disease observe the law of sobriety. It is unacceptable to go to doctors during the day and get drunk in the evening.

The mechanism of panic attacks

Many people wonder why panic attacks occur after drinking alcohol? This is due to the final effect of the components of alcohol. A hangover is a powerful stressor for the body. As a result, adrenaline is released . This is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. With its excess, tachycardia, hypertension begins, breathing quickens and an inexplicable feeling of fear appears.

As the concentration of adrenaline increases, the oxygen content in the blood also increases. Blood vessels constrict, which only increases panic. The person feels empty and lost. Sometimes aggression appears. Symptoms get progressively worse. The duration of attacks varies: from 15-20 minutes to 1-1.5 hours. The danger is that they are repeated many times. At such moments, a person urgently needs help.

Alcohol and panic attacks

Ethyl alcohol has antidepressant properties. However, during the breakdown process, ethanol quickly turns into a dangerous substance that causes mental disorders. Therefore, panic attacks and alcohol have a direct connection.

Alcohol works according to this principle:

The body produces the hormone of joy (dopamine). Alcohol blocks the work of its antagonists. The concentration of neurotransmitters increases. At the beginning of the feast, people experience euphoria, their rises , and their mood improves.
Then an internal conflict begins in the body. At the subconscious level, a defense mechanism is triggered. Duality of desires arises. On the one hand, a person strives to stop drinking alcohol, on the other, he strives to prolong pleasant moments.
The subconscious sends very contradictory and alarming signals to the body. One of the ways such signals manifest themselves is through panic attacks.

The best way to recover from a hangover

Detoxification with the participation of a drug addiction specialist will help you quickly get rid of hangover symptoms. The specialist determines the current drug and selects the dosage based on the patient’s medical history.

Home detoxification involves:

Use of droppers (saline solutions, hepatoprotectors, mineral complexes, etc.);
Use of medications (sorbents, antispasmodics, antihypertensive drugs, etc.);
Administration of injections as prescribed by a doctor.

Inpatient conditions provide a greater choice of detoxification methods (hardware methods of UBOR, ozone therapy, etc.).

Article prepared by an expert

Terekhova Anna Vladimirovna

psychologist-consultant on socio-psychological work with addicted clients and their families. More than 9 years of experience.

4 comments on “Hangover: the most effective remedies”

Vasya:
August 8, 2021 at 15:25
Hello colleagues. Nothing helps, I’ll die soon, what should I do??
Answer
Konstantin:
August 8, 2021 at 03:34 pm
Hello colleagues! Based on the information presented above, you claim that you can cure my alcoholism or hangover due to alcoholism. From many years of experience, I can say that nothing helps. I would like to clarify whether this text, written by a specialist, is true? I expect a response as soon as possible. Thank you! (c) Konstantin
Answer

Restoring the cardiovascular system after alcoholism

Restoring normal functioning of the cardiovascular system after quitting alcohol is not so quick or easy. It is possible to bring the myocardium to its original state only if a number of rules are followed. One of the main ones is a diet in which the content of fat and salt in the diet is minimized. You will need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Light physical activity in the fresh air won't hurt either. Adequate sleep also helps restore the body and heart after stopping drinking alcoholic beverages.

If these measures do not have an effect, the doctor selects treatment. The standard regimen would be to take diuretics to remove excess fluid. The list of medications for therapy should be agreed upon with a cardiologist. This is the only way to improve your health. It is not possible to completely restore the cardiovascular system after alcoholism. However, stopping the destructive processes is quite possible.

What is a hangover and how is it classified?

The hangover of a healthy person and an alcoholic are two completely different conditions. Without understanding the fundamental difference between them, it is impossible to prescribe adequate treatment for a hangover.

The basis of a hangover in a healthy person, the so-called veisalgia, is poisoning by the products of the breakdown of ethanol by liver cells. Acetaldehyde plays a major role in the formation of hangover symptoms. At the same time, the influence of alcohol itself and fusel oils contained in alcohol should not be excluded. A hangover manifests itself as a severe headache, nausea, vomiting, thirst (in common parlance, dried fruit) and other unpleasant sensations.

In a patient with chronic alcoholism, a hangover is a withdrawal syndrome and is called a hangover or withdrawal syndrome. It occurs due to the cessation of ethanol intake, which has already been integrated into the metabolic processes of the body and has become a physiological need. In fact, alcohol, as a more accessible and easily digestible energy material, replaces glucose and becomes vital. Alcohol withdrawal can provoke such severe conditions as delirium tremens and other alcoholic psychoses. A hangover, the treatment of which in this case requires the mandatory assistance of an experienced narcologist, has to be relieved with the help of a dropper. Its composition is determined by the doctor depending on the severity of the patient’s condition and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Treating alcoholism with acupuncture is an effective way to deal with addiction in the early stages.

How to minimize the harm of alcohol to the heart

If you can’t give up strong drinks, then you need to at least follow a number of rules designed to reduce the damage to the heart:

Drink only high-quality alcohol. Completely exclude surrogates.
Control the amount of alcohol you drink and adhere to the permissible dosage.
While drinking ethanol, do not forget about a snack, but completely avoid fatty and salty foods.
Follow the regime, that is, drink no more than 1-2 times a week, and even less often for people suffering from heart problems.
Do not mix medications (especially heart medications) with alcohol.
Forget about alcoholic energy drinks.
The list of prohibitions also includes beer. Instead, one glass of red wine is allowed.

But remember that if you experience discomfort in the heart area, it is better to completely stop drinking alcohol-containing drinks.

Medical studies have shown that contrast showers are prohibited for heart problems. In some cases, deterioration of well-being is possible, since the walls of the blood vessels are already under severe tension. Such a shower can only be taken if you feel well and have no contraindications. Before any procedures, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

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How to diagnose extrasystole?

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an ECG - this is the most informative indicator to identify cardiomyopathy. In addition, it is important to conduct an external examination of the patient, listen to his complaints, not forgetting that a common factor in the development of the disease is the abuse of alcoholic beverages.

Note! During the diagnostic process and when collecting anamnesis, it is worth remembering that it is extremely rare for a patient to admit that he drinks alcohol often, especially if he is not a chronic alcoholic and does not believe that he is abusing alcohol. Visually, the influence of alcohol may not be noticeable, but the internal consequences are already there. When collecting anamnesis, it is necessary to carefully compare the data obtained during the examination and from the patient with signs of extrasystole.

Types of connections between alcohol and panic attacks

Panic attacks caused by alcohol are divided into two types. In both cases the symptoms are similar. The difference is some nuances of alcohol consumption.

Blocking "to"

This means before taking a new dose of alcohol. The condition is typical for binge alcoholics. A syndrome similar to agorophobia develops. This mental disorder is manifested by fear of crowds and crowded places. A person cannot calmly walk to a store and buy an alcoholic drink.

At a normal walking pace, the heart rate increases, dizziness, increased sweating and muscle weakness appear. This condition is fraught with loss of consciousness. The attack is repeated several times. As a result, the alcoholic gives up trying to buy alcohol. After some time, the symptoms disappear and overall health improves. The danger of the syndrome is that real agoraphobia can develop.

Blocking "after"

A panic attack occurs during a hangover. The attacks are recorded throughout the hangover period. They are accompanied by the same symptoms as with blocking “before”. It is necessary to completely give up alcohol and cleanse the body of toxins.

More details about the symptoms of a hangover - how do they manifest themselves and what causes them?

Everything that a person experiences with a hangover is a subjective unpleasant sensation. The most common symptoms of a hangover include:

Throbbing, pounding, severe headache.
Tachycardia and arrhythmias.
Tremors of the hands and whole body. Patients often complain that they are shaking after drinking.
Heartburn, dry mouth and severe thirst, the so-called dry mouth.
A sharp reaction to extraneous stimuli - increased sensitivity to any loud sound, noise and light, causing a surge in severe headaches
Redness of the sclera of the eyes.
“Adrenaline melancholy” is a complex of depressive phenomena associated with a feeling of guilt for past drinking and one’s behavior.

All these manifestations, as I said earlier, are associated with acetaldehyde poisoning. The kinetics of its effect on the body is quite complex and not fully understood. It is believed that acetaldehyde, when interacting with the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine, forms tetrahydroisocholines, and carbonyls with the amino acid tryptophan. All these metabolic products of acetaldehyde have a psychotropic effect with an effect on motor activity and convulsive readiness of the body. This is why convulsions after alcohol and even epileptic seizures are possible.

The development of hangover symptoms is not influenced by the type of alcohol, although some experts believe that strong alcohol is less likely to lead to a hangover than low-alcohol drinks, cocktails, and sweet alcohol. Basically, the occurrence of a hangover in a healthy person is observed when the risk dose is exceeded - 1 g of pure ethanol per 1 kg of body weight.

In addition, the diuretic effect of ethanol leads to increased urination and disturbances in the electrolyte composition of the blood. It also causes and increases inflammation of the intestines, pancreas, stomach, liver and kidneys. Nausea and vomiting during a hangover are associated with the inflammatory reaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

My heart beats fast when I'm hungover, what should I do?

If, against the background of a hangover, the pulse has sharply increased, and the level of cardiac and renal pressure has also increased, first of all it is necessary to take a drug from the group of sedatives - this can be Valocordin or Validol (the first will be preferable). Yes, even if these are not the strongest remedies that exist today, they will help relieve nervous tension, which activates the sympathoadrenal system and forms a vicious circle.

The next step is to take Bisoprolol or Amlodipine (or better yet, Nifedipine). These medications are great at helping normalize your heart rate, but they will only be safe if you use one of them.

We should not forget about simple remedies. For example, drinking plenty of fluids helps to carry out the detoxification function. Of the hot drinks, green tea is preferable, the effect of which can relieve intoxication. If you add mint and lemon to this drink, it will quickly relieve attacks of nausea and replenish vitamin C reserves, which are vital for the body during a hangover.

When to call an ambulance

Signs and symptoms for which you need to call an ambulance:

severe headaches, which are accompanied by frequent vomiting and nausea;
attacks of shortness of breath;
speech problems;
dizziness, progressive weakness;
weakness in the leg and arm on one side, distorted facial features.

We do not recommend self-medication, as this can only aggravate the situation and lead to unforeseen consequences.

But you can temporarily ease your health until the ambulance arrives in the following way:

taking 2 validol tablets;
30 drops of motherwort, tincture of valerian, Valocardin or Barboval;
If there are no stomach problems, take one aspirin tablet.

Usually, the heart returns to normal on its own, but with excessive drinking, the risk of developing pathologies increases. It is difficult for him to cope with large amounts of ethanol, and vascular tissue suffers. And therefore, the manifestations of reactions to binge drinking are different.

How to prevent tachycardia from occurring

Often people themselves make mistakes while drinking alcohol, which lead to increased heart rate:

Drink on an empty stomach;
Abuses alcohol for hypertension and other cardiovascular pathologies, ignoring the recommendations of the attending physician;
Sharply increase physical activity;
Combine alcohol and energy drinks;
Drinking in the heat.

The most dangerous when drinking alcoholic beverages are physical and psycho-emotional stress. You should also not drink a lot of alcohol at once in a short period of time. Mixing alcoholic drinks of different strengths can lead to tachycardia.