If your heart rate is consistently above 100 bpm and you experience chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, etc., you should go to the ER
Tachycardia or fast heart rate occurs when your resting heart rate is faster than normal, which is about 60-100 beats per minute. If your heart rate is consistently above 100 beats per minute and you experience the following symptoms, you should go to the emergency room:
- Chest pain or discomfort that is severe, unexpected, and followed by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or weakness
- Angina-type chest pain (radiating to the left shoulder, back or left little finger) that lasts longer than 15 minutes and is not relieved by rest and medication (nitroglycerin)
- Shortness of breath that continues even after rest
- Sudden weakness or paralysis in your arms or legs
- Sudden onset of a severe headache
- Dizziness
- Fainting spell with loss of consciousness
What are different types of high heart rate?
Atrial or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
SVT is a fast heart rate that originates in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) and disrupts electrical signals coming from the sinoatrial node, which acts as the natural pacemaker of the heart. It causes an irregular, fast heart rate, resulting in incomplete filling of the heart chambers between contractions and compromising blood flow to the rest of the body.
Signs of SVT include:
- Fluttering in the chest
- Bounding pulse
- Angina (chest pressure, tightness, or pain)
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Syncope (fainting)
- Light-headedness or dizziness
- Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
Risk factors of SVT include:
- Age (children are at increased risk)
- Sex (women are at increased risk)
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco use
- Congenital heart disease
Treatment options for SVT include:
- Carotid sinus massage (involves applying gentle pressure on the neck where the carotid artery splits into two branches)
- Valsalva maneuver (involves holding your nostrils closed while blowing air through your nose)
- Sedation
- Rest
- Limiting or completely avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco
Sinus tachycardia
Sinus tachycardia is a normal increase in heart rate in response to various factors. Causes of sinus tachycardia include:
- Anxiety
- Fright
- Emotional distress
- Fever
- Vigorous exercise
- Anemia
- Severe bleeding
- High thyroid activity
- Heart muscle damage due to heart attacks
Treatment involves addressing the cause of sinus tachycardia.
Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia is a fast heart rate that originates in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). Causes of ventricular tachycardia include:
- Lack of coronary artery blood flow, blocking oxygen to the heart tissue
- Cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle) that distorts the structure of the heart
- Side effects of medications such as thyroid hormones
- Illegal drug use such as cocaine and amphetamines
- Sarcoidosis (an inflammatory disease that affects skin or body tissues)
Symptoms of ventricular tachycardia include:
- Nausea
- Light-headedness
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Cardiac arrest (in extreme cases)
Treatment options for ventricular tachycardia include:
- Medication
- Surgery
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Electrical defibrillation