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Sudden high resting heart rate

A 28-year-old woman suddenly saw a resting heart rate of 120 beats per minute.

The doctor said that it was tachycardia and gave her some pills (with a noticeable sedative effect), also allowing her to stay in bed. But she does not want to do it, since they are working there (this substantially helps a parole).

This happened while she was recovering from a cold (not a flu, since she had no fever and caught the disease after staying in a cold room).

She had the same condition about a year ago, and was treated the same (but the doctor also gave her shots).

This woman is in jail, so it is hard to get additional information from a doctor (but she will try to do it nevertheless).

She was using mephedrone drug for about five months three years ago (became substantially underweight after being overweight during that period).

She has been smoking for 17 years, but smokes just half-pack and does not drink alcohol during the last three years – while in jail.

Please let me know what can cause it.

I currently just send her a lot of fruit and vegetables and plan to ask her to eat at least three bananas a day (for potassium).

Thank you!
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There are various causes of tachycardia. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, electrolyte imbalance, medications, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, or other recreational drug abuse, and psychological stress or anxiety. It is important to consider and treat the cause of the tachycardia, rather than just treating the condition. Simply slowing the heart rate could cause more harm if the rapid heartbeat is a symptom of a more serious or long-term problem. Encouraging her to quit/taper smoking and eat healthy are good ideas. Bananas can help replenish potassium if hypokalemic, but make sure she is not hyperkalemic because electrolyte imbalance in either direction can cause arrhythmias.
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