Can anxiety cause irregular heartbeats?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have been experiencing irregular heartbeats for quite some time. I often feel palpitations and have the sensation that my heart is missing beats. I become breathless and dizzy during these episodes. Sometimes, exercise—such as walking or climbing stairs—triggers this; other times, it occurs while I am at rest. I am currently taking Aripiprazole and Citalopram. The heart issues began before I started these medications. I was recently given a heart monitor to record these episodes. If possible, I can send you pictures of the episodes for your review. I would appreciate any answers, as my local cardiology department is taking some time to respond.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern and would recommend conducting some tests to investigate possible cardiac arrhythmia or other metabolic causes that may be triggering this situation. Please perform a resting ECG (electrocardiogram), a cardiac ultrasound, and ambulatory ECG monitoring for 24 to 48 hours to investigate for cardiac arrhythmia. Additionally, check blood electrolytes for possible imbalances, thyroid hormone levels for thyroid gland dysfunction, and a complete blood count for anemia. If these tests return normal results, you should consider anxiety as the primary cause of your complaints.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.