Are premature heartbeats caused by insufficient qi and blood?

Mar 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Tian Hongbo

Introduction

In general, cardiac premature beats refer to premature contractions, which are not caused by insufficient qi and blood. It is advisable to engage in moderate aerobic exercises, such as yoga or Baduanjin, to help strengthen physical health, but one should avoid overexertion. At the same time, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and trying to fall asleep before 11 PM each night allows the body and heart to adequately rest and recover.

Generally speaking, cardiac premature beats refer to premature contractions, which are not caused by deficiency of qi and blood. Detailed analysis is as follows:

Premature contraction is a phenomenon of arrhythmia, referring to the heart beating earlier than expected; whereas deficiency of qi and blood is a syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), primarily indicating insufficiency of both qi and blood in the body, leading to a series of symptoms associated with weakness.

The occurrence of premature contractions is usually related to abnormal cardiac electrophysiology. It may be caused by abnormal automaticity of myocardial cells, reentry mechanisms, or triggered activity, and can also be induced by organic heart disease, electrolyte disturbances, or drug side effects. Deficiency of qi and blood, on the other hand, is based on TCM's understanding of the overall state of the human body. It is often due to prolonged illness, excessive fatigue, irregular diet, or other factors leading to insufficient production of qi or impaired generation of blood. Common symptoms include pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and limb fatigue. Although some patients with premature contractions may exhibit symptoms similar to those of qi and blood deficiency, this does not mean that premature contractions are equivalent to qi and blood deficiency.

In daily life, moderate aerobic exercise, such as yoga or Baduanjin (Eight Pieces of Brocade), can help strengthen the body, but overexertion should be avoided. At the same time, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and trying to sleep before 11 p.m. each night can provide sufficient rest and recovery for both the body and the heart.

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Are heart palpitations a sign of myocarditis?

Premature contractions are not the same as myocarditis. Premature contractions refer to irregular heartbeats that may represent normal physiological phenomena but could also be associated with organic heart disease. Myocarditis, on the other hand, is usually related to viral infections. These two conditions are distinct; however, severe myocarditis may trigger premature contractions, leading to irregular heartbeats.

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Can a cold cause premature heartbeats?

Whether a cold causes premature contractions mainly depends on the type and severity of the cold. Non-viral colds or mild colds usually do not cause premature contractions, whereas viral or severe colds may induce viral myocarditis, thereby leading to premature contractions and associated symptoms. Therefore, it is important to promptly identify the cause of the cold and provide targeted treatment accordingly.

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Can ventricular premature beats in trigeminy rhythm return to normal?

Whether premature contractions can be restored mainly depends on the underlying cause. If caused by physiological factors, they may return to a normal state after improving lifestyle habits and generally do not require special treatment. However, premature contractions caused by pathological factors such as cardiomyopathy or coronary heart disease, especially in severe cases, are usually difficult to reverse and require treatment of the underlying disease or catheter radiofrequency ablation.

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Which acupoint should be scraped for cardiac premature beats?

In general, cardiac premature beats refer to premature contractions. For premature contractions, acupoints such as Neiguan (PC6), Shenmen (HT7), Shanzhong (CV17), Xinshu (BL15), and Jueyinshu (PC8) can be stimulated. Normally, one should avoid intense emotional fluctuations and reduce stimulation from negative emotions such as tension, anxiety, and anger. Relaxation methods such as listening to music or meditation may help alleviate these emotions and prevent emotional factors from triggering premature contractions.