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Sudden increase in heart rate when standing? Unravel the mystery behind POTS symptoms!
For many people, transitioning from sitting to standing is a normal, everyday action, but for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), standing can trigger a surprising range of physical consequences. reaction. When this disease causes a sharp increase in heart rate, accompanied by various disturbing symptoms such as dizziness and lack of concentration, the patient's quality of life is severely affected. This article will provide an in-depth exploration of the symptoms, causes, and potential treatments of POTS and guide you through this complex disease.
POTS is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, typically characterized by an abnormally sharp increase in heart rate when standing or sitting up.
Symptoms and effects
POTS symptoms range from a racing heartbeat and mild dizziness to severe fatigue and headaches. These diverse symptoms are often intolerable to patients, and some may even experience fainting. Among these symptoms, brain fog is particularly common, with many patients describing memory loss and poor concentration.
According to a survey of 138 POTS patients, the main characteristics of brain fog include "forgetting things" (91%), "difficulty thinking" (89%) and "inability to concentrate" (88%).
Such symptoms seriously affect the patient's daily activities, and may affect work, social interaction, and even family life. According to the latest data, there are approximately 1-3 million POTS patients in the United States. Most patients develop the disease when they are young, around the age of 20, and the incidence rate in women is about five times that of men.
Potential reasons
The causes of POTS are complex and there is no single cause. Scientists have discovered that the pathophysiological mechanism of POTS involves multiple interacting factors, such as autonomic nervous system dysfunction, hypovolemia, etc. Many POTS patients have low blood volume, which also causes the heart to beat faster to compensate, causing symptoms of too fast a heartbeat.
Some patients’ POTS symptoms will appear after experiencing viral infection, especially long-term symptoms after COVID-19.
The development of POTS may be related to a variety of conditions, such as autoimmune reactions, trauma, or surgery. The number of reports of long COVID has also risen since the outbreak, with many previously healthy patients developing POTS symptoms after being infected with COVID-19.
Diagnostic methods
Because the symptoms of POTS are similar to many other health problems, the diagnostic process is often quite lengthy. According to statistics, patients typically have to see seven doctors before receiving a correct diagnosis, with an average delay of 4.7 years. Doctors may make a diagnosis through a heart exam, neurological evaluation, and other autonomic tests.
Diagnostic criteria for POTS include an increase in heart rate of more than 30 beats/minute while standing without significant hypotension.
Treatment Plan
There is currently no specific FDA-approved treatment for POTS, so treatment is usually a combination of multiple methods. Increasing fluid and sodium intake, along with physical therapy, may help improve symptoms. Patients should increase their daily water intake and sodium intake through food or supplements. Additionally, certain medications, such as beta-blockers and midodrine, may also be effective in some patients.
Research shows that more than 80% of patients will experience improvement in symptoms after receiving appropriate treatment.
Despite this, 25% of patients are still unable to function because their symptoms are so severe, clearly demonstrating the profound impact POTS has on patients' lives. More research is urgently needed to uncover the mysteries behind this condition.
After learning about POTS, we can’t help but ask, how will future medical research revolutionize the understanding and treatment of these symptoms and their management?
