Tachycardia

Symptoms

Tachycardia refers to an abnormally fast heartbeat -- a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute compared to the normal 72 beats per minute.

A heart in tachycardia doesn't beat efficiently. It may not be able to pump an adequate amount of blood out to the body with each heartbeat, causing a drop in blood pressure.

Some people with tachycardia have no symptoms and are unaware of their condition until it's discovered by their doctor during a physical examination.

Others may feel symptoms such as:

• Dizziness
• Clamminess
• Shortness of breath
• Light-headedness

Tachycardia may also result in these signs and symptoms:

• A fast pulse
• Chest pain
• Palpitations, sensations of a racing, uncomfortable, irregular heartbeat or a flopping in the chest

Tachycardia may occur infrequently, (paroxysmal tachycardia). Symptoms may come and go, lasting for a few minutes to hours and then stopping on their own. Chronic tachycardia is when symptoms last until they're treated medically.