Your heart may feel like it's pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for just a few seconds or minutes. You may also feel these sensations in your throat or neck. Palpitations may seem alarming, but in most cases they're harmless and are not a sign of a serious problem. Sometimes you may feel an extra or missed beat. These are known as ectopic beats and are also usually nothing to worry about. In these cases, the palpitations should go away on their own.
Typically, when heart palpitations are caused by factors like these, it will feel as though your heart is pumping faster or harder than usual or you will notice skipped or fluttering heartbeats. However, if these palpitations last longer than a few seconds, or are associated with other symptoms, there may be some underlying medical concerns.
If your palpitations are accompanied by dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, or chest pain, you should seek medical attention. Some of these are actually relatively common and not dangerous at all. These palpitations will be very short, no more than a couple seconds, and not accompanied by any other symptoms. Reduce your risk for any heart problems by leading a healthy lifestyle. Atrial fibrillation — The most common type of arrhythmia, an atrial fibrillation can result in a rapid and erratic heartbeat, which may interfere with blood flow to the ventricles and possibly lead to serious clotting conditions or stroke.
Symptoms might not exist at all, or involve chest pain, palpitations, or shortness of breath. Ventricular tachycardia — A rapid heartbeat originating in the ventricles lower heart chambers. When associated with structural heart disease, this arrhythmia may cause loss of consciousness and, in some cases, cardiac arrest or sudden death.
Stay on Top of Your Heart Health If you have a new or existing heart problem, it's vital to see a doctor. Check your heart health. Medications — Your physician might prescribe antiarrhythmic drugs such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers, both of which have a safe track record. Catheter ablation — Small wires are threaded through the leg veins into the heart to trigger an arrhythmia, identify the cause, and cauterize the problem area.
As a result, some health conditions may cause heart palpitations that signify an abnormal heart rhythm called an arrhythmia. Heart conditions that may cause an arrhythmia include:.
Some medications may also cause heart arrhythmias, such as those used to treat high blood pressure, asthma, or other heart problems. To make sure your palpitations are not a sign of something more serious, let your healthcare provider know if:. Most of the time, heart palpitations are nothing to worry about.
There are ways to prevent palpitations, such as avoiding known triggers like stress, alcohol, and caffeine. Also, remember that everyone is different, and your triggers may not be the same as another person who has heart palpitations.
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