Lesser known therapeutic approach to palpitations

Dr. Nandini Dadhich¹, and Dr. Priya Bhardwaj²

ABSTRACT: Cardio vascular diseases is a class of diseases that involve a range of conditions that affect heart. Diseases include blood vessel diseases, such as Coronary Artery Disease; arrhythmias; congenital heart defects etc. A heart arrhythmia is an abnormal heartbeat. The uncomfortable awareness of heartbeat i.e. palpitation, a lay term used by the patients, is a common complaint that can occur under any circumstances where the heart may beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly. Palpitations are nonspecific and can be a symptom or a diagnosis. The pattern of presentation, accompanying features and risk factors determine which investigations are needed in order to reach a diagnosis. The management of patients with palpitations is guided chiefly by the clinical experience of the physician. Homoeopathy provides the remedy that cure the individual on the basis of individualization. This article aims the effectiveness of lesser known homoeopathic medicines in treating palpitations.

KEYWORDS: Arrhythmia, Palpitations, Homoeopathy, Lesser known therapeutics.

INTRODUCTION: Palpitation is perceived as an uncomfortable sensation in the chest associated with heart beats.³ Palpitation is very common and sometime frightening symptom.² The sensation can be described by the patients including ‘a thump’, ‘skipped beat’³, missed or dropped beats⁴, pounding, fluttering¹ which causes discomfort. The sensation of palpitation can be either intermittent or sustained and either regular or irregular.¹ Palpitations are often noted during quite resting when other stimuli are minimal.¹ 

AETIOLOGY¹: Palpitations may originate due to-

• cardiac cause (43%) including premature atrial and ventricular contractions, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, mitral valve prolapse, aortic insufficiency, atrial myxoma, pulmonary embolism, etc. Other factors that enhance the strength of myocardial contraction including tobacco, caffeine, cocaine, thyroxin can cause palpitation.
• psychiatric cause (31%) which includes panic attack or disorder, anxiety status, somatization, alone or in combination.
• miscellaneous causes (10%) like thyrotoxicosis, some drugs, pheochromocytoma.
• unknown cause (16%).

Approach to the patient:

 For treatment, a brief case taking is required to assess the cause along with the measurement of vital signs, assessment of Jugular Venous Pressure, pulse , auscultation of chest. To rule out the great risk factor with palpitation an Electrocardiogram recording during an episode can be done² and if needed exercise Electrocardiogram, holter monitoring can also be done.³ 

LESSER KNOWN THERAPEUTIC HOMEOPATHY^5,6,7: AN OERVIEW

Most patients with palpitations do not have serious arrhythmias or underlying structural heart disease and can be treated with medicines. Here are some lesser known medicines in homoeopathy for palpitations.

• AGARICUS CAMPANULATUS: Patient experiences palpitations with irregular, intermittent pulse with tumultuous action of the heart. Feels better after coffee.

• AILANTHUS GLANDULOSA: Patient suffers from palpitations with rapid, small, weak, frequent, and irregular pulse. There is dull pain and contracted feeling in region of base of heart and through center of left lung.

• AMYLENUM NITROSUM: There is tumultuous action of the heart. On least excitement there is fluttering of heart.  Full soft pulse. Violent beating of the heart and carotids with sense of constriction. The heart has an irregular, rumbling sort of sound. Precordial pain extending to right arm. Aching pain and constriction around the heart. Angina Pectoris with great anxiety.

• ANDROCTONOS AMURREUXI: The patient complaints of palpitations on waking and on lying down to sleep. The heartbeats are violent, audible and visible.

• ARANEA IXOBOLA: Strong palpitations and squeezing feeling. Pulse is felt in the carotid artery and abdominal aorta, worse when lying down and resting; better, when moving and after drinking coffee. Accelerated pulse. Pressure and tingling in the precordial region. Tachycardia and neurosis due to worry.

• ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA: Palpitations where the pulse is slightly accelerated. There are sharp pains, like pricking of a needle in region of heart. Constrictive pain in the heart with tenderness to pressure over heart.

• BERYLLIUM METALLICUM: Arrhythmia. There is cardiac palpitations and feeling of thoracic constriction.

• CENCHRIS CONTORTRIX: The palpitations appear at 3 p.m. with sensation of fluttering followed by feeling that heart feel down into abdomen. Then pulse become feeble with heat lasting until after midnight. Throbbing or fluttering under left scapula. The patient feels as if heart were distended or swollen to fill the whole chest.

• CIPRO: Palpitations and fluttering of the heart with irregular heartbeat.

• CORYDALIS CAVA: Patient experiences palpitations which are worse lying on left side, ascending and 3 a.m.

• DIRCA PALUSTRIS: The palpitations occur on going up slight elevation. Pulse suddenly become weak and irregular. Least motion excites the heart’s action.

• HEDERA HELIX: There are palpitations and anguish with swelling of the thyroid gland. Rhythmic anomaly, accompanied by tachycardia. Thyrotoxic tachycardia. Paroxysmal tachycardia. Extrasystole or paroxysmal tachycardia in a young patient with a normal heart. Also there are needle-like pains in the precordial region.

• HELODERMA SUSCEPTUM: There are palpitations and dyspnea from slight exertion. Cold feeling in heart. Slow labored thumping of heart. Symptoms also include pressure at heart and tingling, trembling, coldness, oppression around heart. Sticking pains, shooting from left to right. Stitches and soreness in heart.

• HOITZIA COCCINEA: Strong heart beats, resounding in the head and audible. Pulse strong and rapid. 

• HYDROCYANICUM ACIDUM: Violent palpitations. Blood vessels distended, writhing in them. Pulse failing, weak, irregular, unequal with occasional strong beats with cold limbs.

• LEVOMEPROMAZINE: Tachycardia neurosis, on exertion in anxious types of patients. There are palpitations at the slightest effort. Usually heart constricted with anguish in the morning.

• LYSSINUM: Heart palpitates violently and felt as if it was coming up into throat. There are also pains as if needles were running into heart.

• MAGNETIS POLUS AUSTRALIS: Violent palpitation of the heart with great heat in cardiac region. Palpitation of the heart during which it seems that it is not the heart that palpitates.

• MANCINELLA VENENATA: Palpitations with weak, very large and soft pulse. Needle like stitches at heart.

• POPULUS CANDICANS: The palpitations appear when rising or lying on left side with vertigo. The heart’s sound is irregular, usually muffled and worse before menses.

• RAJANIA SUBSAMARATA: There are palpitations with thready, weak pulse. The heartbeats are irregular with moderate tachycardia. The patient hears the heart beat when lying down as if the heart were on the pillow. 

CONCLUSION: Palpitations are a sensory symptom and every symptom is indicative of deviation from normal state of health. This deviation calls for either a first-line therapy or an adjunctive treatment. Homeopathy is a safe and effective tool that can be integrated into a practicing clinician’s armamentarium. It is curative, free of adverse side effects and enhances the body’s ability to restore balance.

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1. Dr. Nandini Dadhich , MD (PGR), Dept. of Materia Medica, Dr.M.P.K.Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Jaipur (A constituent unit of Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Raj.)
2. Dr. Priya Bhardwaj, MD (PGR), Dept. of Repertory, Dr.M.P.K.Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Jaipur (A constituent unit of Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Raj.)