Heartbeat
Our heart starts beating soon after we are conceived (long before we are born) and continue uninterrupted until we die.
The heart is a hollow organ with 4 chambers, 2 atria and 2 ventricles. The walls of these chambers are made of muscle. It is the contraction of this muscle which constitutes a heart ‘beat’. The heart muscle's contractions are controlled by a complex system of nerve impulses which come both from the brain and from pathways of nerves contained in the heart muscle itself.
The rate at which the heart beats, known as the pulse rate, can vary considerably. Children's hearts beat faster than adults. Certain things such as strenuous exercise can more than double the normal (resting) heart rate.
Just as important as the rate of the heartbeat is its rhythm. Usually this is very regular, rather like the ticking of a clock, with the same time between beats.
But sometimes this rhythm is disturbed and becomes irregular. When this happens the affected person may suddenly be aware of their heart beating, something commonly referred to as palpitations.
In most instances palpitations are not serious and do not mean there is anything seriously wrong with the heart. We have all experienced the sensation of our hearts suddenly beating rapidly when we get an unexpected shock.
Sometimes, for no apparant reason, the heart gives an ‘extra’ beat which may be noticed. This is called an ectopic beat and, unless it happens often, is harmless. It is sometimes due to too much caffeine or alcohol.
Anyone having recurring bouts of an irregular heartbeat, such as frequent bursts of feeling a rapid heart rate for no reason, should have their heart checked. Sometimes this can be a sign of problems with the heart. A wide variety of things can be to blame, many of which are harmless or easily treated.
One of the frustrations for people with heart irregularities is that they always seem to go away when you visit the doctor. A good idea is to try to keep a record of the attacks. This can often be done by recording the rate and pattern of your pulse which can be felt by pressing the first 2 fingers of one hand on the opposite wrist just below the skin crease under the thumb.
If you can ‘tap out’ the abnormal rhythm when you go to see your doctor it can be a great help.
Most irregularities follow a repeating pattern. For example, you might have 4 regular beats, then a long pause followed by another 4 regular ones.
Many older people have the irregularity known as atrial fibrillation (AF). In this condition the heartbeat is ‘irregularly irregular’. In other words there is no pattern and when the pulse is felt it seems quite chaotic with beats happening willy nilly. People with AF usually feel pretty well but they are at risk of blood clots forming inside the heart's chamber. For this reason it is often necessary to take the anti-clotting drug warfarin on a permanent basis.
Noticing heart palpitations is a frightening experience. If it's once in a blue moon it can be ignored. But if it happens frequently, have it looked into.
Last Reviewed: 19 March 2003
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