Cardiologist Questions Anxiety

Can anxiety cause irregular heartbeats?

I'm 23 years old, and sometimes I get anxiety attacks and after that I have irregular heartbeat. Can anxiety cause irregular heartbeats?

2 Answers

Anxiety can give a person a sensation of palpitations primarily due to an increase in the heart rate. Occasionally, it can cause a “slipped beat“ or PVC. However, the converse is also true. One MAY have an underlying problem with the electrical system of the heart, causing the heart to beat faster (regular or irregular), which in effect will give the person a sensation of anxiety. A classic case of “chicken V’s egg." A simple app two hours would be to have a heart monitor applied for a period of time, which would allow your cardiologist to determine cause or effect!
All the best.
Yes, anxiety can increase your adrenaline levels and can cause an increase in the heart rate, which could be a normal reaction and not necessary an abnormal rhythm.