Sustained periods of tachycardia, or rapid heartbeat, aren't good for your heart. Tachycardia is a type of irregular heartbeat classified as an arrhythmia caused by an interruption of the normal electrical signals regulating your heart rate. Cayenne is an herbal medicine most commonly used in a topical cream to relieve pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Although cayenne is being studied for use in treating heart arrhythmia, no scientific studies have found it to be definitively effective for tachycardia. Discuss your treatment options thoroughly with your doctor before using any alternative or over-the-counter medicines for an elevated heart rate.
Tachycardia
If you are otherwise healthy, your normal heart rate at rest falls between 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to MayoClinic.com. A heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute results in tachycardia, a dangerous condition that reduces the amount of blood, and therefore oxygen, pumped to your vital organs. Symptoms include dizziness, racing heartbeat, shortness of breath and chest pain. Over time, tachycardia increases your risk of developing serious complications, including death, especially if it occurs along with coronary heart disease or high blood pressure. Consult your physician before using cayenne for tachycardia.
Cayenne
Cayenne, or Capsicum frutescens, is a type of spicy hot pepper used for thousands of years by many cultures as a food flavoring and herbal remedy. Capsaicin, the active substance found in cayenne, is the source of its purported medicinal properties. Applied topically, capsaicin is a powerful pain reliever and is particularly effective for pain associated with arthritis, low back pain, post-surgical pain and nerve pain. Taken internally, capsaicin is possibly beneficial for headache, heartburn and appetite suppression. Other uses of cayenne, including use for a heart arrhythmia such as tachycardia, have not been well investigated scientifically. Talk to your physician before using cayenne for tachycardia.
Cayenne and Tachycardia
Preliminary scientific studies performed with capsaicin, the active substance derived from cayenne pepper, found it potentially effective in reducing some types of tachycardia. Early studies on its effects on tachycardia took place in the laboratory using animal tissue in vitro. In 1995, the "European Journal of Pharmacology" reported capsaicin in dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, preparation reduced ventricular tachycardia and improved blood flow in rat and guinea pig heart tissues. However, no clinical studies on its effectiveness in reducing elevated heartbeat in human beings have been performed. Get your doctor's advice before taking cayenne for rapid heartbeat.
Precautions
Never self-treat any incidence of rapid or elevated heart rate. Tachycardia is a serious heart condition and its complications are often life-threatening. Although cayenne pepper appears to be safe as an alternative treatment for a number of ailments, it hasn't been proven to be effective in reducing a rapid heartbeat from tachycardia. Cayenne interacts with some medications, including diabetes medicines, ACE inhibitors for your heart, theophylline for asthma, stomach acid reducers and blood-thinners, such as aspirin and warfarin. Inform your doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of tachycardia.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Tachycardia
- European Heart Journal Supplements: Increased Heart Rate as a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Cayenne
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Cayenne
- European Journal of Pharmacology: In Vitro Effects of Capsaicin: Antiarrhythmic and Antiischemic Activity
