Your reproductive hormones play a crucial role in your overall health, including your mental and cardiovascular well-being. Hormone-related heart palpitations show how these chemical messengers can affect your body.
If you experience a racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat and have low estrogen levels, there might be a connection. Dr. James Kim and our team have put together some information to help explain this link.
Estrogen and Your Heart Health
During your reproductive years, estrogen hormones regulate egg release and maintain vaginal tissue health. Beyond these roles, estrogen also supports cardiovascular health by:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Managing cholesterol levels
- Maintaining healthy blood vessels for optimal circulation
- Promoting proper blood clotting
While your cardiovascular health is influenced by many factors, including diet, lifestyle, and family history, the connection between reproductive hormones and heart health is significant.
When Estrogen Levels Drop
Estrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman’s reproductive years but are significantly affected by the natural transition through menopause. When your ovaries stop functioning, estrogen production decreases, causing side effects like hot flashes and heart palpitations.
Menopause is the main reason for low estrogen levels, but they can also drop due to a hysterectomy with ovary removal or conditions like being severely underweight. Regardless of the cause, reduced estrogen can trigger heart palpitations, making your heart beat 8-16 times more per minute. These palpitations often happen alongside hot flashes.
Understanding Heart Palpitations
Although we’ve used the term “heart palpitations,” let’s explain it in more detail. Heart palpitations are a heightened awareness of your heartbeat. You might feel your heart:
- Racing
- Skipping
- Pounding
- Fluttering
Usually, heart palpitations aren’t serious and last only a few seconds or minutes, but the sensation can be unsettling since you’re typically not aware of your heartbeat.
When To Get Help
If you frequently experience heart palpitations or if they last more than a few minutes, you should visit us to rule out other issues, such as an arrhythmia.
If we determine that your heart palpitations are related to your hormones, we can discuss potential solutions, such as hormone replacement therapy.
For more information about the connection between heart palpitations and hormones, please contact one of our offices in National City or Chula Vista, California, to schedule an appointment.
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Heart Palpitations, Women's Health
