What Are the Causes of a Racing Heart?
Abnormalities in heart rhythm, known as arrhythmia, are very common and rarely dangerous. That's not to say that your racing heart may not be a sign of another underlying problem. Irregularities in heart beat can be caused by a variety of different conditions, some of which are lethal heart problems.
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Basics
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If you have a racing heart, you may feel a fluttering or pounding sensation. If your heart beats faster than it should---more than 60 to 100 beats per minute---you have what's called tachycardia. Bear in mind that what's normal for you may not be normal for your friend. If you have a very fit friend, for example, her heart may be more efficient and beat slower. The only way to really know if you have a problem is to have an EKG, or electrocardiogram, a fast test your doctor conducts to measure the rhythm of your heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Drugs
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The important thing to remember is if you are a healthy person, outside influences will trigger your racing heart. Those triggers include drugs---medications, stimulants and controlled substances. According to the National Institutes of Health, medications to treat thyroid conditions and asthma are among the culprits. Illegal substances like cocaine can also cause your heart to race, as does too much coffee and too many cigarettes.
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Stress
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The head-body connection applies in the case of the racing heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stress and anxiety can place pressure on your body by causing your heart to beat too rapidly. According to the Cleveland Clinic, if you leave this condition untreated, you can cause permanent damage to your heart and reduce how well it pumps for good.
Heart Disease
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Your heart may be scarred from heart disease, which in turn causes a racing or fluttering heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. You may have been born with an abnormality in your heat that can cause it to beat too fast.
Electrical Circuitry Problems
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In order for your heart to beat, the body's "natural pacemaker," the sinus node, must send an electrical impulse that tells your heart to beat. Sometimes there are imbalances of minerals in the body called electrolytes that throw off the sinus node, in turn causing it to send electrical impulses too rapidly to the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Thyroid
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An overactive thyroid is a common cause of a hyperactive heart. This condition, hyperthyroidism, comes about when the thyroid gland makes too much of a certain hormone. Along with heart irregularities, the disease is characterized by weight loss, problems concentrating, nervousness, fatigue and gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Treatment
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Like with a lot of problems, it's important to diagnose the cause of your racing heart quickly. The sooner a cause is detected, the more effective the treatment will be. According to the Cleveland Clinic, surgery to correct abnormal electrical impulses that contribute to a racing heart is often successful. In more serious cases, a pacemaker may need to be installed to set the heart's rhythm so it beats as it should.
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