How to manage heart palpitations caused by premature heartbeats

Apr 27, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Tian Hongbo

Introduction

In general, cardiac premature beats refer to premature contractions. Premature contractions and palpitations may be caused by factors such as autonomic nervous system dysfunction, medications or exogenous stimuli, diabetic cardiomyopathy, acute pericarditis, or high-altitude heart disease. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly and, under a doctor's guidance, undergo general treatment, medication, or other appropriate interventions for adjustment.

Generally, cardiac premature beats refer to premature contractions. Premature contraction-related palpitations may be caused by autonomic nervous system dysfunction, medications or exogenous stimuli, diabetic cardiomyopathy, acute pericarditis, high-altitude heart disease, and other factors. It is recommended to seek timely medical consultation and follow medical advice to adopt general treatments, drug therapies, and other interventions. A detailed explanation is as follows:

1. Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction

During emotional stress or insufficient sleep, abnormal activation of the sympathetic nervous system releases catecholamines that enhance the automaticity of myocardial cells, thereby inducing premature contractions. It is important to maintain a regular lifestyle, regulate neural tone through mindfulness training or biofeedback therapy, and avoid excessive fatigue.

2. Medications or Exogenous Stimuli

Certain antibiotics or sympathomimetic drugs may directly interfere with myocardial electrical activity, increasing the excitability of ectopic pacemaker sites. It is recommended to strictly follow medical instructions for medication use, avoid self-administering compound cold medicines containing ephedrine, and carefully verify dosage and contraindications when administering medications to children.

3. Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy mainly results from long-term hyperglycemia causing glycogen deposition in myocardial cells and microvascular lesions. Myocardial fibrosis leads to increased heterogeneity of cardiac conduction, making reentry circuits more likely and causing palpitations. Symptoms such as polyuria and thirst may also occur. Under medical guidance, patients may use medications such as metformin hydrochloride tablets, trimetazidine hydrochloride tablets, and benazepril hydrochloride tablets for treatment.

4. Acute Pericarditis

Acute pericarditis may be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Inflammatory stimulation of nerve endings on the myocardial surface leads to electrical instability of the heart, causing premature contraction-related palpitations. Patients may also experience symptoms such as precordial pain and fever. As advised by a physician, patients may use medications such as aspirin tablets, colchicine tablets, and ceftriaxone sodium for injection to alleviate symptoms.

5. High-Altitude Heart Disease

High-altitude heart disease is caused by chronic hypoxia leading to pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. Right ventricular dilation causes tricuspid annular enlargement and atrial muscle stretching, resulting in electrical remodeling and the aforementioned symptoms. Symptoms such as cyanosis and clubbing of the fingers may also be present. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as nifedipine tablets, spironolactone tablets, and furosemide injection for treatment.

Premature contraction-related palpitations patients are advised to undergo 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring regularly. Avoid long-term exposure to noisy or cold environments, and individuals living at high altitudes should regularly assess their cardiopulmonary function.

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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.