3. Recreational drugs
Following the same logic as with daily stimulants, some recreational drugs have high stimulating power and can increase your heartbeat and induce tachycardia. Many recreational drugs are consumed precisely because of their stimulant properties, and their effect on the heart is often more intense than daily, legal stimulants such as tobacco and café.
Among the most popular recreational drugs are cocaine and its derivatives (for example, crack) and amphetamines (such as methamphetamine). These substances often have a direct effect on the brain, inducing a rise in the release of catecholamines. Catecholamines are neurotransmitters, chemicals that our neurons use to communicate with one another.
An increase in the liberation of catecholamines excites our brain and induces our neurovegetative system to activate our whole body, increasing the breathing rate as well as our heartbeat. Excessive tachycardia caused by an extreme dose of recreational drugs can damage the heart and even cause a cardiac arrest.