Rapid Heart Rate & Chest Pain: Understanding Symptoms & When to Seek Help

According to Wrong Diagnosis, a fast heart rate and heart pain often proves the most likely symptoms of a heart attack. Thus, anyone experiencing these two symptoms should seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Features

• According to Medline Plus, most physicians refer to a rapid heart rate as heart palpitations. Palpitations often cause throbbing sensations in the neck, throat or chest area.

Significance

• A normal heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Heart rates over 100 beats per minute indicate a condition known as tachycardia. Exercise, anxiety, certain medications or drugs, low blood oxygen levels, fever, hyperventilation or heart disease may trigger heart palpitations.

Considerations

• Chest pain may occur as the result of heart attack, angina, pericarditis, heartburn, hiatal hernia, costochondritis and panic attack. Chest pain that occurs along with a fast heart rate should not be ignored because it could indicate a life-threatening heart problem.

Identification

• Physicians or emergency room personnel will evaluate patients with a fast heart rate and pain for a possible heart attack. Testing often includes a combination of the following: blood pressure check, pulse check, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, angiogram, chest x-ray, blood tests, stress test, MRI and CT scan.

Warning

• If heart palpitations occur along with chest pain, dizziness, sweating or shortness of breath, call 9-1-1.