Is my heart pausing or skipping beats as dangerous as it feels?

[Lilly_s16]

Hello everyone, I need advice. I'm a 20 year old female, 5"4 and about 110lbs. I'm not the most active or healthy eating person, but I'm fairly well. Lately I've been experiencing something strange. It's difficult to explain. I get this sensation in my chest like my heart is "stopping" or what feels like a long pause. Followed by a blood rush to my head that makes my ears ring and I get warm. Meanwhile, my chest and arms experience a strange tingling. After those few moments, it feels like my hearts beating very faint. Then I have the urge to gasp or cough for it to go back to normal. It's quite frightening, it makes me feel as if my heart will stop. Being in the medical field, I thought about anxiety and stress and what not..but confidently narrowed that out. This is a real feeling, usually comes up unexpectedly. Definitely doesn't seem like something my mind is doing or something I am over reacting to. It's starting to concern me a little, because it's happen more often and it's causing problems with my routine schedule. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you

[jacrjacr]

always first take a look at any new supplements or meds you may be taking from digestive enzyymes etc or hormones hence amazing how they can make your heart start doing crazy things that you would never think related

[angen]

You may need an electrocardiogram (ECG) test. The ECG is a test that checks for heart problems by detecting cardiac abnormalities with the electrical activity of your heart.
If you have recent ECG, you can send your recent 12-lead ECG to "Cardiac Rhythm LLC" for a FREE expert review of your recent 12-lead ECG, and understand whether your symptoms are due to a heart disorder or not.  

[MichelleP_3811]

It very well is likely simple benign ectopic beats, pacs if they are coming from the atria or pvcs if they are coming from the ventricles.  In an otherwise healthy heart they are of no concern.  I would say the moment you notice try and cough right away as that may clear out any pattern that may start up.  The biggest triggers for them tend to be caffeine, sugary foods and diets high in carbohydrates.  Eating big meals or having stomach issues like acid reflux.  Simple dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.  Stress and anxiety.  Try to rule out these biggest triggers out and see if it helps.  The whole of the heart muscle from what I understand is capable of firing off a heart beat.  Maybe not the whole thing but there  are for sure areas that can generate one.  This is a stop gap in case something goes amiss with the main system but unfortunately though once a spot in the heart flares up there is always a chance for that spot to get triggered even if the cause of the flare up was transient or can't be identified.  

So maybe just go and see your doctor for an overall check up with full blood panel including thyroid testing and maybe see if they recommend seeing a cardiologist to  get an overall picture of the health of your heart.  If you are given the all clear healthwise it would then just be a matter of trying to narrow down the triggers and see if you can eliminate them. But other than that try to do your best to not let them take over your attention and life.  Many people get them and they are considered completely benign in an otherwise healthy heart.  Best of luck getting to the bottom of things and keep us posted on how you are doing.  Take care.