Can anyone help me understand how I can help stop a tachycardia attack?!
Question: It depends on the cause of it....
Sometimes breathing into a brown paper bag will do the trick (reduces the oxygen level of the blood) - sometime several glasses of water (increases blood volume) but beyond that - you need access to medications.
Answers: It depends on the cause of it....
Sometimes breathing into a brown paper bag will do the trick (reduces the oxygen level of the blood) - sometime several glasses of water (increases blood volume) but beyond that - you need access to medications.
tachycardia is a rapid heart beat (very fast heartbeat)... if this has been going on for over 15 hours she needs some medical help. The heart may become more stressed than it can cope with you need to access a doctor.
Try to keep your mom as calm as possible, it may be anxiety, but if she is taking propanolol she has been diagnosed with a condition, so she should see a doctor straight away. Take her to A/E , they will probably do an ECG heart tracing to see how the heart is beating. Tachycardia is not very nice because you can feel your heart racing away, which is very frightening. Hope she is okay.
Prevention
The most effective way to prevent tachycardias is to reduce your risk of developing heart disease. If you already have heart disease, monitor it and follow your treatment plan to lower your tachycardia risk.
Prevent heart disease
Treat or eliminate risk factors that may lead to heart disease. Take the following steps:
* Exercise and eat a healthy diet. Live a heart-healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and eating a healthy, low-fat diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and antioxidants.
* Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity puts you at higher risk of developing heart disease and tachycardias.
* Keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control. Make lifestyle changes or take medications to correct high blood pressure (hypertension) or high cholesterol.
* Stop smoking. Tobacco use increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart arrhythmias.
* Control stress. Avoid unnecessary stress, and learn coping techniques to handle normal stress in a healthy way.
* Go to checkups. Have regular physical exams and report any signs or symptoms to your doctor.
Monitor and treat existing heart disease
If you already have heart disease, there are steps you can take to lower your risk of developing a tachycardia or other arrhythmia:
* Follow the plan. Be sure you understand your treatment plan, and take all medications as prescribed.
* Get your electrical system checked. Talk to your doctor about whether a heart attack or another cause has compromised your heart's electrical system and put you at risk of sudden cardiac death.
* Report changes immediately. If your symptoms change, get worse or you develop new symptoms, tell your doctor immediately.