Can Anxiety Cause Abnormal Ekg

Anxiety And The Development Of Heart Disease

Its my view and my personal clinical experience that anxiety disorders can play a major role in heart disease, says McCann. I believe that a really careful look at anxiety would reveal the ways it can severely impact heart disease, both as a contributing factor and as an obstacle in recovery.

A natural reaction to a sudden heart attack can be similar to post-traumatic stress disorder:

• Youre likely to be shocked by your near-death experience and extremely hesitant to do the things you used to do.
• You might constantly relive the life-threatening event, and avoid the activity or place associated with the heart attack.
• Recurring anxious thoughts may impede your ability to get regular sleep.
• Your thoughts about what lies ahead may be extremely negative and cause a drastically foreshortened outlook of the future.

Can Anxiety Cause An Abnormal Ekg

An electrocardiogram, otherwise known as EKG or ECG, is a test that measures the activity in your heart. Doctors use this test to determine whether there is any abnormal activity going on. An EKG is a short, painless test that will provide a considerable amount of information. If the test comes back abnormal, a question to ask is: can anxiety cause an abnormal EKG?

Since EKGs study heart rhythms, it is possible to have abnormal results not due to underlying heart conditions. For this reason, doctors should gather information about your current health to compare against the results. Certain conditions may cause an EKG to not pick up on some problems.

Depression Anxiety Tied To Ecg Wave Abnormalities

Depression and anxiety are independently, yet oppositely, associated with electrocardiographic T-wave inversions, according to a study published in the December 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

William Whang, MD, from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues analyzed data from 5,906 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a cohort free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to assess depression, while trait anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. ECGs were obtained at rest during the baseline examination.

The researchers found that elevated depressive symptoms were associated with increased odds of T-wave inversion, after multivariable adjustment , while greater trait anxiety was associated with reduced odds of T-wave inversion . The results were similar in both men and women, as well as across racial and ethnic subgroups .

Negative emotions may have a differential impact on cardiovascular mortality through unique relations with cardiac repolarization, the authors write.

Don’t Miss: How To Relax Your Anxiety

Can Anxiety Trigger An Ekg

An ECG is generally reliable for most people, but our study found that people with a history of heart disease and affected by anxiety or depression may go undetected, says the studys co-author, Simon Bacon, professor in the Concordia department. of exercise science and researcher at the Montreal Heart Center

Can an ECG tell if you have anxiety?

Your doctor will use a few tests to diagnose atrial fibrillation and rule out anxiety. An electrocardiogram records the electrical activity of your heart. Its a painless test that only takes a few minutes.

Do panic attacks show up on the electrocardiogram?

What are some of the symptoms of a panic attack that also occur during a heart attack? Dr. Torbati: Unfortunately, there is a large overlap between the symptoms of panic attack and heart attack, which makes it very difficult to distinguish between the two without a medical evaluation and tests, such as an EKG.

The Effect Of Anxiety On The Heart

When someone is anxious, their body reacts in ways that can put an extra strain on their heart. The physical symptoms of anxiety can be especially damaging among individuals with existing cardiac disease.

Anxiety may have an association with the following heart disorders and cardiac risk factors:

• Rapid heart rate In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
• Increased blood pressure If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.
• May result in higher incidence of death after an acute heart attack.

Recommended Reading: What An Anxiety Attack Feels Like

Know The Difference Between Anxiety And Heart Attack

If youre experiencing symptoms, call 911 immediately. While there are ways to determine the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack, a medical diagnosis is the only way to be sure. Pay special attention to an episode that includes:

These physical indicators can more clearly signal a heart attack.

It is especially important to be aware of your own heart attack risk factors. For example, if youre a smoker with a family history of heart disease and have high blood pressure, youre more likely to experience a heart attack.

If, on the other hand, you experience chronic stress, suffered a recent traumatic event, or have trouble coping with lifes ups and downs, you may be dealing with anxiety. Symptoms of severe anxiety and panic often resemble a heart attack, which can worsen your distress. When anxiety feels like a heart attack, the panic can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, when stressors diminish, the symptoms usually do, too.

Can Anxiety Cause Abnormal Ekg

As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided

In this article, we find out whether can anxiety cause abnormal EKG. We explain what an electrocardiogram is, the factors influencing the EKG results, and when an EKG is recommended.

Don’t Miss: How To Cope With Anxiety At Work

What Can Cause An Abnormal Ekg

Some of the factors that can influence the results and cause abnormal EKG are:

if the patient ate a large meal, drank a lot of caffeine and/or smoking before the procedure

Hypertension electrolyte imbalances, such as too much or too little potassium in

the blood, too much or too little magnesium and/or too much or too little calcium in the blood

use of certain medications

enlarged left ventricle.

When Should I Be Worried About An Irregular Heartbeat

An occasional abnormal heartbeat is not cause for serious concern. However, if symptoms last for long periods of time, are significant or come back time and again, it’s important to seek medical attention. If you have fainting, swelling in your leg, shortness of breathseek medical attention right away, Dr.

Don’t Miss: Do I Have Social Anxiety Disorder

How Long Can Heart Palpitations Last From Anxiety

Heart palpitations from anxiety usually go away within a few minutes. They tend to start suddenly and end quickly.

If you have recurring heart palpitations from anxiety, your healthcare provider might diagnose an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder means excessive anxiety affects your everyday activities, such as going to work or school or meeting friends.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the U.S. They affect almost 1 in 5 people at some point.

Abnormalities In The Shape Of The Heart

An EKG gives doctors an idea of how hard the heart is working in each specific area. An abnormal EKG result can be a sign that one region or section of the heart is larger or thicker than the others.

A thickened heart could mean that the heart is working too hard to pump blood. This may be due to a congenital or acquired heart condition.

Also Check: What Does Anti Anxiety Medication Feel Like

Ii Ecg Signatures Of Psychological Stress In The Atrium

Emotion and atrial fibrillation

Legend: Reprinted from Lampert, et al, J Am Coll Cardiol 2014 with permission

Potential mechanisms of the arrhythomogenic effects of stress on AF are less well-understood. Repolarization as measured in invasive experiments by the atrial effective refractory period shortens with sympathetic stimulation in most although not all studies. Further, sympathetic stimulation acts synergistically when combined with vagal stimuli.

Conduction in the atria can be measured noninvasively using the signal-averaged P wave, and a prolonged SA-P duration has been associated with recurrent AF. In the normal atrium, sympathetic stimulation with isoproterenol shortens SA-P duration conversely, beta-blockers slow conduction. Atropine given after beta-blockade shortened SA-P duration, suggesting that vagal activation slowed conduction. In addition, P-wave duration measured from 24-hour Holter monitoring is shorter in daytime, further suggesting that changes in sympathovagal balance alter conduction through the atria.

Anxiety Or Heart Problem: Signs And Symptoms

Anxiety and heart attacks share many of the same symptoms, but in reality, they are very different conditions. Anxiety or panic attacks are the bodys natural response to a fight-or-flight situation, although the cause of one of these attacks usually isnt dangerous!

Heart attacks occur when blood is unable to flow through the hearts arteries, depriving the body of oxygen. Since one of these conditions is non-threatening while the other is very dangerous, its important to know the difference between anxiety or a heart problem. Heart problems and anxiety can happen whether or not you have a history with them. Both of them may seem very similar because many of their symptoms are identical!

Both conditions include:

• Difficulty Breathing or Shortness of Breath
• Intense Feeling of Doom
• Rapid Heartbeat
• Weak or Tingling Feeling in Limbs

Its no wonder why telling the difference between the two is difficult! The most accurate way to determine if you have anxiety or heart problems is to visit your doctor. They can determine your hearts health as well as your stress and anxiety levels.

Also Check: How To Get Over Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Getting A Clear Picture Of Heart Rhythm And Rate

Cardiac health and anxiety are interrelated. Each can affect the other. The best way to get a clear picture of heart rhythm and rate is to monitor the heart for a period of time. This can be done with a heart monitor. A heart monitor is a small device that records heart rhythm day and night or during active symptoms. Capturing heart rhythm over several days or weeks, a doctor can accurately determine which comes first, anxiety or abnormal beats.

Do you have questions about cardiac symptoms? Contact Premier Cardiology Consultants at 516-437-5600 for assistance.

You Might Also Enjoy…

Anxiety And Heart Disease

The association between anxiety and heart disease has not been as fully studied as the relationship between depression and heart disease.

However, Una D McCann, M.D., director of the Anxiety Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, believes the connection is strong.

Don’t Miss: Can Sleep Apnea Cause Anxiety And Depression

Can Drinking Water Help With Heart Palpitations

Drink water The thicker your blood is, the harder your heart has to work to move it through your veins. That can increase your pulse rate and potentially lead to palpitations. If you feel your pulse climb, reach for a glass of water. If you notice your urine is dark yellow, drink more fluids to prevent palpitations.

Potential Causes Of An Abnormal Ekg

There are a few reasons your test results can come back abnormal. It is not always a bad sign, especially when your doctor considers other factors. The EKG can detect anything from medication side effects to a heart attack.

That does not mean that there is no point in getting one. Even if the results come back standard, it is better that you had it done because you never know what is happening in your body that you cannot see or feel.

After going over the results, your doctor will address any underlying problems that cause an abnormal EKG and reevaluate if needed. It might take some trial and error, but sometimes that is all that they can do. They might even tell you that you do not need any treatment at all. That depends on the reason, though, and they are as follows:

• High blood pressure

If you have high blood pressure, your EKG will likely come back abnormal.

• Physical heart abnormalities

Sometimes, the heart sections can differ in size or thickness, and the EKG will pick up on it.

• Medication side effects

Sodium channel blockers, some beta-blockers, and other medications can alter the heart rate.

• Heart attack

Of course, an EKG can find a heart attack, which is incredibly important to treat right away.

• Irregular heart rate

Whether you are nervous, having an anxiety attack, or if your heart is ‘just doing that,’ any elevated the heart rate affects the EKG results.

• Electrolyte imbalances

With and vital role in the health of your heart, EKGs may sense imbalanced electrolytes.

You May Like: Will My Anxiety Ever Go Away

Understanding The Abnormal Results Of An Ekg

Q1. In all my EKGs for as long as I can remember, my T-waves have been inverted. I have also had a number of stress tests and echocardiograms and was told by the cardiologist not to worry. However, my internist says it still concerns him. Should I be worried? Is there further testing I should have?

Bonnie, Minnesota

I am happy to say that usually, Bonnie, for a person like you, who has a normal heart structure and a normal exercise stress test with good exercise tolerance, the prognosis is excellent, even with inverted T-waves.

T-waves are a part of a normal electrocardiogram , representing the electrical recovery of the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, after a contraction, or heartbeat. There are many reasons why T-waves can be inverted. We can see inverted T-waves, for instance, in the midst of a heart attack and in structural heart disease, such as coronary ischemia or left ventricular hypertrophy. On the other hand, we also may see inverted T-waves in people whose tests are completely normal, and we simply dont know why they occur. I have followed some patients like this for years that have never had a problem. They are asymptomatic and have otherwise normal hearts.

Q2. My gynecologist ordered an electrocardiogram for me prior to my upcoming surgery. It came back abnormal. Should I be going to a cardiologist for further testing?

Ann, Connecticut

Get Help At Florida Medical Clinic

Excessive stress and anxiety can be damaging to your body and your heart, but it can be very difficult to tell them apart! Thats where Florida Medical Clinic comes in. If you have a heart condition, or suspect you may have one, our Cardiology Department can evaluate, diagnose, and treat many different types of heart conditions. Request an Appointment with our convenient online system today!

Read Also: Can Anxiety Attacks Cause Chest Pain

Heart Attacks Aren’t Always Obvious

Not everyone experiences the “chest grabbing” drama shown on TV. Symptoms can be subtle and not overly painfuland women’s symptoms may differ from men’s.

All cardiac symptomsincluding chest tightness shortness of breath pain in the jaw, arm or backneed to be taken seriously, even if you think you couldn’t possibly be having a heart attack. Sure, it might be embarrassing to take action and discover it was just indigestion or stress. But despite the cliché, nobody has ever died of embarrassment.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Livingnewsletter

What Is An Ekg Test Used For

This stress testing can be used to help Dr. Ishaaya to learn about:

These are five of the most common things that may cause an abnormal EKG stress test at Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA. After your test, he can make treatment recommendations for you, depending on whether you received an abnormal EKG stress test result or not.

Also Check: Does St John’s Wort Help With Anxiety

What Does An Abnormal Ekg Stress Test Mean

For patients with an increased risk of developing serious medical conditions, such as Type II diabetes and heart disease, cardiometabolic testing gives Dr. Avi Ishaaya helpful information before they even experience any symptoms. At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we help our patients monitor these risks with EKG stress testing. You may be at risk for metabolic syndrome in Los Angeles, CA, which is diagnosed by our board-certified physician after an EKG stress test. This testing gives us insight into your current and future health all at the same time. An abnormal EKG stress test can mean a variety of problems with your health that Dr. Ishaaya can address almost immediately before anything serious develops.

Electrocardiogram Ekg: What Is It

In some cases, your doctor may suggest that you have an electrocardiogram, also called an EKG, to check for signs of a possible cardiovascular disease. The electrocardiogram or EKG is a test that records the electrical activity of your heart, through small electrodes that a technician attaches to your skin, chest area, arms and legs.

EKG is a fast, safe and painless analysis. With this test, your doctor will be able to:

to check your heartbeat

see if you have poor blood circulation to the heart muscle

to diagnose a myocardial infarction, as it is also called a heart attack

check for aspects that are abnormal, such as thickened heart muscle .

An electrocardiogram is a test that looks for problems with your hearts electrical activity. An EKG shows the electrical activity of your heart like lines left on paper. Sudden increases and decreases in these lines are called where.

Also Check: What To Take For Sleep Anxiety