Cardiovascular Institute and Center for Cardiovascular Health
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Palpitations Back to Diseases and Conditions
Palpitations are a relatively common occurrence. They do not always indicate illness or an abnormality of your heart's rhythm. Strenuous activity or anxiety may produce palpitations.
What causes palpitations? The ingestion of other substances may also cause palpitations. These include: cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, and some over-the counter drugs. Cardiac (heart) related causes of palpitations are numerous. Palpitations are often caused by arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats or rhythms). Some arrhythmias are benign; while others are of a more serious nature. When you have an arrhythmia, you may experience other symptoms in addition to the palpitations. You may feel weak, short of breath or light-headed. One arrhythmia, atrial tachycardia may be accompanied by the desire to urinate. Palpitations which are accompanied by "angina" (chest pain), may be indicative of coronary artery disease. Mitral valve prolapse, a deformity of one of the heart's four valves, is another cardiac cause of palpitations. Some other medical conditions which may cause palpitations are: overactive thyroid, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)., adrenal tumor, and anemia. If I complain of palpitations, what will my doctor do? As part of the history she will ask you whether you have any other symptoms in conjunction with the palpitations. Other symptoms may include: dizziness, tingling of your hands and face, light-headedness, chest pain, fainting, or a feeling of a lump in your throat. She will ask you if the palpitations happened abruptly or came on gradually. She will inquire as to what you were doing prior to the onset of the palpitations. As part of the physical examination, your doctor will check your pulse and listen to your heartbeat with a stethoscope. She may ask you to drum your fingers on a tabletop to reproduce your perception of your heart rate and rhythm during palpitations. Your physician may order diagnostic tests to aid her in her evaluating your palpitations. These may include Holter monitor testing or "event" testing. These tests enable your physician to obtain graphic readings of the electrical activity of your heart during normal daily activities. A Holter monitor is worn for 24 hours and an event monitor (a wristwatch-like device) usually is worn for 72 hours or more. Your doctor may order an echocardiogram, which is a sophisticated diagnostic test that employs ultrasound (high frequency sound waves) to obtain moving and still pictures of your heart. Finally, your physician may order blood tests to rule out the possibility of anemia or thyroid illness. How are palpitations treated? Depending on the cause of your palpitations, your physician may recommend that you perform one of the following: holding your breath, inducing gagging or vomiting, drinking cold water, or splashing cold water on your face. Your doctor may prescribe medications. In very rare cases, implantable devices or surgical intervention will be recommended. |
ost of the time, we do not notice the beating of our hearts. Some people occasionally have an unpleasant awareness of their heart beats. This feeling is called, "having palpitations." Depending on the reason for the palpitations, you may feel as if your heart is skipping, jumping, pounding, racing, or fluttering. Palpitations usually last for only a few seconds. Sometimes they may continue for many minutes.