How could you determine if heart flutters are harmless or if they signify an underlying problem if they don't happen often but you get concerned when they do happen and could types of foods cause it?

Answer 1

== == All people will experience "heart flutters" or "skipped heartbeats." These are not really skipped heartbeats, but they feel like it. My husband has "Atrial Fibrillation" where the top of the heart is jiggling like a bowl of jelly and the bottom of the heart MAY pool the blood (when it shouldn't) and there is cause for concern that if the blood does gel it could cause blood clots that could go to the brain. There are medications for it. Heart flutters are created by too much stress, caffeine (tea, coffee, pop, chocolate, cigarettes and alcohol.) If you were to cutback on these you may find you don't notice the heart flutters or have none at all. Our body is like an echo chamber so if nervous, stressed out or you've had 8 cups of coffee by the end of the day you could well have these feelings. When the heart adjusts to the kick of too much caffeine for instance it starts to pound (an adrenaline rush) and it pounds and the echo chamber of our body makes it feel worse that it is. It's uncomfortable and frightening, but not usually harmful. Some people can go to bed at night and be kept awake by the sound of their own heart! Doesn't mean they are having a heart attack. I suffer from them as well, but have cut back on my caffeine and exercise and eat better and they go away. I went to see a Cardiologist to have a stress test done just to put my mind at rest and all came back just fine. Heart flutters are caused by many different things. Hyperthyroidism/ Graves disease, a change in hormones (changes in estrogen for women--during or after pregnancy, during menstruation or menopause), binge drinking, or excess caffeine/high fat intake/no exercise. A person with very low blood pressure, a family history of strokes at an early age, and stress are all contributing factors to heart fibrillation's. Even though some people do not smoke, drink alcohol or caffeine they still can have heart fibrillates, and it's uncomfortable, and can keep a person awake at night. This doesn't mean an individual is having a heart attack, but you should always consult with your doctor. It could be as simple as reducing your caffeine, or it may be as dangerous as a blood clot or stroke. Just as a side note, make sure you are getting enough iodine in your diet; many healthy eaters who use organic products don't get enough iodine, and it results in goiters or thyroid problems, resulting in heart flutters. (A simple solution to that is to buy iodized salt.)