Take Panax Notoginseng for slow heart rate

Panax notoginseng is a Chinese medicinal herb that we are all familiar with. As people admire traditional Chinese medicine, many patients will go to traditional Chinese medicine hospitals for treatment when they are sick. As a common medicine, Panax notoginseng is gradually becoming familiar to people. But everyone should also know that Panax notoginseng can not only treat all diseases. So, can eating Panax notoginseng have any effect on patients with bradycardia?

Causes of slow heart rate

Slow heartbeat refers to a heartbeat below 60 times per minute, also known as bradycardia. Clinically, there are many causes of slow heartbeat, the most common of which are as follows:

1. Conduction block: The beating of the human heart is directed by the sinoatrial node. Conduction block is caused by lesions in the atrial node or myocardium, which prevents the command issued by the sinoatrial node from being transmitted, and the heart rate slows down.

2. Changes in vagus nerve tone: When the vagus nerve is excited, its endings can release a substance called "acetylcholine", which has an inhibitory effect on the heart and can slow down the heartbeat.

3. Changes in sinoatrial node function: Pathologies of the sinoatrial node itself can cause a slow heartbeat, with the heart rate being about 40 beats per minute.

Dangers of slow heart rate

If the heart rate is too slow for a long time, the body will suffer from hypoxia and ischemia due to insufficient blood "pumped" by the heart, and the compensatory ventricles will speed up their movement to supply blood. However, excessive ventricular movement will cause insufficient blood return. If cardiac output is significantly reduced, a series of symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and tinnitus will appear. In severe cases, coma and convulsions may occur. Due to insufficient blood supply to the coronary arteries, patients may suffer from angina pectoris or even myocardial infarction.

Causes of a fast heart rate

(1) Physiological: Changes in body position, physical activity, food digestion, anxiety, pregnancy, excitement, fear, agitation, drinking, smoking, drinking tea, etc. can all increase the heart rate.

(2) Drug-induced: Some drugs can cause a person’s heart rate to accelerate, such as sympathomimetic drugs like ephedrine and adrenaline. Parasympathetic blocking drugs such as atropine, caffeine, thyroxine, amphetamine, etc. can cause tachycardia.

(3) Pathological: Some systemic diseases can also cause a faster heartbeat: high fever, anemia, hypoxia, infection, hyperthyroidism, pain, acute rheumatic fever, beriberi and neurosis can cause tachycardia.

(4) Cardiovascular disease: Acute blood loss, hypotension and shock, arteriovenous fistula, heart failure, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, pericarditis, acute myocardial infarction and various organic heart diseases can all lead to sinus tachycardia.