Expert: Domenic Sica - 8/25/2009

Question
Hello,
I was just in the hospital for heart palpitations. I was sitting at home watching a movie and all of a sudden it felt like my heart rate was increasing. I took some baby asprin and checked my BP and it was all high. I started to freakout and went to bed. The next morning I was still thinking about it and thought it was up, so my wife took me to the ER. There my resting heart rate went down as well as pulse and BP. They told me it was heart palpitations. My family has a history of high BP and I am only a 25 yr old male weighing in at 212lbs at 6'.  The ER doct. gave me some Bp meds to take and yesterday at the follow up my BP was 100/70. It has never been that low, my BP has always been up around 140's or so. So my PCP put me on BP meds just for the night and wants me to do a sleep study test. I also, dont know if this was just me being paranoid and making a big deal out of it and making my self all worked up and anxious over the situation to esculate it more. I dunno.  I also, vomited the night I was getting worked up and when my BP was rising. I dont know if this is a case of having anxiety. When I was having the feeling of my heart pounding I could feel my pulse every where. I dont know if it was because I was so relaxed. I can still feel my pulse in my stomache, neck, etc. and my heart rate, pulse, Bp is all down. Is this normal to feel? Am I over reacting?  Thank you.

Answer
It sounds as if anxiety is playing a major role in your sensing of your heart rate. It is not normal to hear or sense one's heart rate but once someone begins to appreciate the background nature of heart rate it is difficult to turn the sensing off. The medication given was probably a beta-blocker since it decreases palpitations. You might try half the dose given and determine if there is a graded response - that is, less of a reduction in heart rate and blood pressure and still control of the symptoms.

Regards,

Domenic Sica, M.D.