It is believed that heart rate (HR) and pulse are the same concepts. But it is not so. Heart rate shows the contractions per minute of the lower parts of the heart, its ventricles, and the pulse rate is the number of dilations of the artery at the moment of blood ejection from the heart. As the blood passes through the vessels, it creates a bulge in the arteries, which can be determined by touch and, by placing two fingers on the wrist or neck, the number of beats per minute can be checked. Correspondence between heart rate and pulse rate can only be found in healthy people.
How many beats per minute should the heart beat normally?
A slow heart rate is a good sign. This indicates the ability of the heart to pump the required amount of blood in the minimum number of contractions. This also happens to a sleeping person, who consumes less nutrients and oxygen during sleep. With each passing year, the heart wears out, the muscles weaken, and the pulse increases. Usually its indicator corresponds to the person’s age. For example, upon reaching eighty years of age, a pulse corresponding to eighty beats per minute is considered normal.
Research into heart tonality using computer technology has enabled scientists to delve deeper into the secrets of the heart. It was found that the heartbeat of a healthy person is either accelerated or with some delay, while the heart rate of a patient with a pre-infarction condition is ideal. This discovery makes it possible to identify predisposition to cardiovascular diseases at earlier stages.
In infants, the pulse is twice as high as the pulse of an adult and is up to 140 beats per minute. But already during the first year of life, the pulse gradually decreases and by the age of six it is equal to one hundred beats per minute. By the age of 18-20 years, the pulse levels out and acquires its normal state - from 60 to 80 beats per minute.
Arrhythmia
Treatment for this disease is quite simple if you start this process in a timely manner and do not interrupt it. It is important to undergo examinations on time so that the specialist determines what type of arrhythmias yours belongs to and prescribes the correct complex for eliminating the pathology.
Is arrhythmia treatable?
It is quite possible to eliminate arrhythmia, but it is a pathology that causes side effects if left untreated. Therefore, the earlier the procedures are started, the more effective they will be. Treatment is carried out by cardiologists who prescribe a whole range of actions, including:
- Use of sedative medications. They are usually plant-based. Motherwort, Corvalol, valerian capsules, novopassit help well.
- Medicines that lower blood pressure.
- Beta blockers, membrane stabilizers, potassium channel blockers.
- Useful vitamin complexes (“Riboxin”, “Panangin”, “Magne B6”).
- Physiological procedures are prescribed depending on the patient’s condition. This is a swimming pool, physical therapy, certain training.
- During treatment, a special diet is followed. The doctor describes in detail which foods should be excluded, and, conversely, what to add to the diet. For example, fatty foods, pork, and lard are excluded. You should be careful with tea, coffee, and smoking. Potassium-rich foods are included in the diet. These are dried fruits, honey, banana, black currant. It is also recommended to use parsley, raisins, prunes, and cabbage in your diet. Components rich in calcium and magnesium are also included in the diet.
A set of measures to eliminate the disease includes establishing water balance, giving up alcohol and other bad habits. All this allows us to stabilize the patient’s condition. Of course, in most cases, arrhythmia is eliminated with the help of pharmacological drugs. It is also important to find the root cause of its development.
Cardiac arrhythmia: alternative treatment
Many people are interested in why doctors do not recommend using alternative methods of influencing the body. We are talking about folk recipes. In fact, many experts prescribe such drugs to eliminate pathologies, but not as the main one, but as an additional effect on the body.
Patients, in turn, try to overcome the disease on their own and decide for themselves what they will take. As a rule, this leads to deterioration of health. This is why doctors are skeptical about herbal medicine and traditional healing methods.
Nevertheless, herbal medicine can significantly improve the patient’s condition when used correctly. Some herbs are used to create pharmacological drugs. For example, valerian root, motherwort and the like. They exhibit sedative properties and can relieve stress, nervous tension, and eliminate pain. But the use of herbal medicine is allowed only under the supervision of an experienced specialist. The reason for this is the large number of contraindications for such plants. Valerian root is not always beneficial; it can also cause harm.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of herbal products that improve the patient’s condition with this disease. But their use is allowed only under the supervision of doctors:
- tinctures of hawthorn, valerian, motherwort;
- tincture of indifference;
- Kirkazon Manchurian;
- evasive peony;
- tincture of calendula;
- Sesame oil;
- infusion of Leuzea safflower;
- chicory.
The list of components that help stop this pathology is very large. But it is worth remembering that only a doctor can help in such a situation. Our clinic helps with arrhythmia, contact us and get rid of the disease. We sincerely wish you good health, but wishes alone are not enough. Take decisive steps towards great health.
How to quickly eliminate pain syndrome
If negative symptoms appear, you should immediately call an ambulance. We recommend calling our center and ordering ambulance services. The car will immediately go to your address, you won’t have to wait long, the team is always ready to instantly respond to a call. But before the arrival of specialists who will provide emergency assistance, you should worry about your health yourself. These actions will help significantly alleviate the condition, and possibly save a life:
- First, medical assistance is called. If you are unable to do this, ask relatives, neighbors, passers-by.
- The heartbeat will return to normal if you gently press your fingers on the eyeballs. This must be done with moderate force, hold for several seconds, and then suddenly release your fingers. Repeat the steps a couple of times.
- Next they induce vomiting. This is done artificially; under no circumstances should you use medications. You should drink a large amount of purified water and induce vomiting by touching the base of your tongue with your fingers. This action often helps save lives.
- The patient should take a deep breath and exhale as much as possible. After this, the nose is pinched, the mouth is closed and the breath is held for several seconds. It is not worth staying in this state for a long time. Sometimes dizziness occurs, so this exercise should be done at the bedside or in a sitting position.
- Ensure air flow, open the window, loosen the collar if the throat is tight with a tie or other clothing.
- Calm down, often unnecessary panic only aggravates the situation. Drink cool water in small sips.
- The use of anti-stress helps very well. This can be any object that is easy to squeeze, bend, but not harm yourself. It distracts from the current situation, removes the feeling of panic and fear.
These techniques are quite simple, everyone can help themselves. As a rule, the condition stabilizes, and many patients refuse hospitalization or specialist help. It is undesirable to make such a decision; it is better to seek help from doctors and find out why this situation arose.
Interesting facts about the influence of external conditions on heart rate
The Institute of Clinical Cardiology conducted experiments to study the causes of disruptions in the circulatory system. Laboratory rabbits were restricted in movement for 70 days. This led to atrophy of their muscle fibers (myofibrils), a decrease in the lumen of blood vessels, an increase in capillary walls and disruption of intercellular connections, which immediately affected the pulse rate. Watching a film with a sad plot by volunteers reduced the volume of current in the blood by 35%, and increased it by 22% when watching a comedy. Daily consumption of dark chocolate increases the efficiency of the human circulatory system by 14%.
First signs of heart problems
Often the first signs of heart rhythm disturbances are invisible to a person or are associated with other disorders or conditions, for example, fatigue after a working day.
Photo: Koldunov / Depositphotos
Early signs of arrhythmias may include:
- More frequent headache attacks.
- Chest discomfort and shortness of breath during exercise.
- Insomnia and sudden awakening in the middle of the night with shortness of breath.
- Tremor in the extremities - slight tremors in the fingers and hands.
Contraindications to restoring heart rhythm
In a number of situations, the risks associated with restoring normal heart rhythm outweigh the benefits that will ultimately be gained. In such situations, maintenance therapy is carried out aimed at preventing complications and controlling the heart rate within certain limits.
Contraindications to restoring normal heart rhythm are:
- Persistent forms of atrial fibrillation and a high risk of thromboembolism.
- Severe concomitant heart diseases, for example, a previous myocardial infarction.
- Liver and kidney failure, complicating drug treatment.
- Severe arterial hypertension.
- Severe heart failure.
- Elderly age.
- Heart defects.
Slow heartbeat - bradycardia
Bradycardia is a condition where the heart beats so slowly that it cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. If bradycardia is left untreated, it can lead to extreme fatigue, dizziness, or fainting because not enough blood is supplied to the brain. This condition can be corrected by using an electronic pacemaker, which makes the heart beat normally.
Bradycardia occurs for various reasons:
- Sick sinus syndrome
The appearance of sinus bradycardia as a result of a “malfunction” in the sinus node (the natural pacemaker of the heart) occurs when discharges for contractions occur too infrequently. A weak sinus node can develop with age or be a consequence of illness. Some medications may also cause or worsen bradycardia. This arrhythmia may be temporary or permanent. It can be treated with medications or an electronic pacemaker.
- Blockage of the heart pathways
Heart block is a slowing or interruption of the electrical signal to the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) that cause the heart muscle to contract. The heart's electrical conduction system typically sends signals from the upper chambers of the heart (atria) to the lower chambers (ventricles), which causes coordinated contractions of the heart muscle. Complete blockade of the atrioventricular node can manifest as a sudden loss of consciousness, since the ventricles contract very rarely without stimulus from the sinus node. An artificial pacemaker can eliminate this problem and normalize heart function.
Prevention
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Prevention of arrhythmia includes early treatment of diseases of the heart, cardiovascular system and related pathologies. This also includes avoiding or minimizing exposure to risk factors.
- Healthy sleep and adherence to work and rest schedule.
- Quitting the use of alcohol and tobacco products.
- Regular, moderate physical activity.
- Compliance with the dosage and frequency of taking previously prescribed medications. Refusal to self-use medications.
- Regular preventive examinations with a cardiologist or therapist.
