When you exercise, your heart beats fast. But what about when you’re sitting still—should it still feel like you’re working out when you aren’t really even doing anything?

No, it shouldn’t. In some cases, this can be referred to as ventricular tachycardia. Our AFC Urgent Care Farragut team explains more about this heart condition below, so keep reading.

What Is Ventricular Tachycardia?

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is when the ventricles, the lower two chambers of the heart, beat too fast, which is more than 100 beats per minute. When the ventricles beat too quickly, they don’t fill properly and end up distributing blood that’s not properly oxygenated to the rest of the body. When this happens, you can feel light-headed or out of breath.

According to studies, 90,000 Americans receive a ventricular tachycardia diagnosis each year. If you experience the symptoms we’ve listed below on a relatively common basis, you might have VT.

Common Ventricular Tachycardia Symptoms

• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
• Lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath

Is Ventricular Tachycardia Dangerous?

It can be. Although some cases of it don’t cause any issues and only last for a few seconds, other cases of it can lead to serious complications, like recurrent fainting, heart failure and even cardiac arrest.

If your heart is racing, you have chest discomfort or you’re fainting or dizzy, seek medical emergency care immediately. If you experience the symptoms that we’ve listed above but they don’t cause fainting yet leave you feeling relatively concerned, visit our AFC center to learn more about what you may be dealing with.

Ways to Prevent VT

• Exercise often. This means getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week, according to the CDC.
• Maintain a healthy diet. A diet low in saturated and trans fats and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains helps keep the heart healthy.
• Control stress. High stress levels cause a high BPM, which puts more stress on the heart.
• Don’t use illegal drugs. Stimulants, such as cocaine and meth, cause lots of damage to the heart.

We can provide non-emergency care seven days a week! Don’t hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Farragut team today.