The most serious arrhythmias often strike in the morning. Now we have received more information as to why.
Many studies have shown that life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias are more likely to occur in the morning, but until now it has not been entirely clear why this is.
Left untreated, these ventricular arrhythmias can lead to loss of consciousness, sudden cardiac arrest, and death.
Now researchers at Imperial College London believe they have found out what causes morning heart events. According to research, heart problems are related to the natural rise of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is highest in the blood in the morning. The amount of cortisol rises only minutes before a person wakes up.
It is also known that heart rate and blood pressure rise in the morning and changes also occur in blood clotting: it is more active in the morning than at other times, which increases the risk of blood clots.
As a result, arrhythmias and heart and brain infarctions occur more often in the morning and during the day.
The researchers found in their mouse study that cortisol binds to a specific receptor in heart cells. The receptor affects genes that regulate ion channels in the cell membrane.
As the function of the ion channel changes, the heart becomes more susceptible to arrhythmias.
The researchers noticed that in mice, a drug injection that blocks the activity of the cortisol receptor prevented changes in the ion channels and thus also the sensitivity to arrhythmias.
Lead researcher Alicia D’Souza says that although the research was done on mice, the results are believed to be directly applicable to humans as well. However, further studies are needed.
The study has been published in the journal Circulation Research.
It has already been known that dangerous arrhythmias often strike in the morning. Adobe Stock / AOP
Identify a dangerous arrhythmia
Arrhythmias can be asymptomatic or cause very different symptoms. The most common sensations are “bumps”, “skips”, knocks and irregularity.
A bruise or arrhythmia felt around the heart is very often harmless. It is probably atrial or ventricular extrasystole, i.e. extra heartbeats originating from the heart’s atria or ventricles.
They can occur, for example, from heavy coffee or alcohol consumption, in smokers and in connection with supervision.
However, a large extra beat can also be the first sign of heart disease. Therefore, it would be important to find out whether it is a harmless extra beating of a healthy heart or whether the underlying cause of the symptom is some other heart disease that requires treatment.
If consciousness becomes blurred in connection with an arrhythmia or the arrhythmia occurs during exertion, a doctor’s assessment is necessary. Severe arrhythmias can cause shortness of breath, chest pain and even loss of consciousness.
In young people, the most common arrhythmias that increase the heart rate are supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and the even more common sinus tachycardia. The most common type of supraventricular palpitations occurs in fits, which are characterized by a very fast heart rate that occurs from time to time, usually 140 to 180 beats per minute.
Especially in the most common, i.e. rotational activation SVT, the episode of hyperactivity begins suddenly, but also ends just as suddenly.
During atrial fibrillation, the heart rhythm usually speeds up and becomes irregular. For some, atrial fibrillation does not cause any symptoms, while others may have strong symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and malaise.
Traditionally, arrhythmias are looked for with the help of an EKG, or heart film. However, it does not always “catch” the arrhythmia. Therefore, daily heart rhythm recording, i.e. holter measurement, is also used in the investigation of arrhythmias. Adobe Stock / AOP
Even vague symptoms
It may be a heart attack if you feel squeezing, burning or oppressive pain in a wide area of your chest.
The pain can radiate to the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders and between the shoulder blades. Sometimes the pain is only felt in these reflex areas.
Chief physician of the Heart Association Anna-Mari Hekkala described in a previous story in Iltalehti how the symptoms of a heart attack can appear days before the attack. They can come under stress, go away, and come back again.
An attack can also have symptoms such as nausea, feeling light-headed, shortness of breath and cold sweats. Moving makes you feel worse. In case of heart attack symptoms, the emergency number should be called immediately.
The range of symptoms caused by a heart attack is wide in both men and women. Sometimes the symptoms can be vague. Adobe Stock / AOP
THE FACTS
What is your heart rate?
You should learn to feel your heart rate yourself. Try where you feel it best. You can often feel the pulse most easily when you press your index and middle fingers lightly on the wrist from below the thumb. Other places are, for example, the bend of the elbow or the neck.
1. Observe whether the heartbeat is regular or irregular.
2. Count the pulses for half a minute. Multiply it by two. This way you will know how many times your heart beats per minute. A normal pulse is around 50-100.
3. A clearly irregular heart rate is the reason to apply for a heart film. An irregular heartbeat is typical of atrial fibrillation. You should contact your doctor if your previously slow and regular heartbeat becomes fast or irregular.
4. There is also reason for a doctor’s assessment if abnormal sensations are associated with the increased heart rate, such as a throbbing feeling or feeling bad.
5. The nurse or doctor should also be contacted if the automatic sphygmomanometer reports an “error” when measuring or gives a suspicion of atrial fibrillation due to an irregular heartbeat.
Regularly feeling your heart rate helps you notice if it suddenly changes. Adobe Stock / AOP
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