So what exactly are heart palpitations? Heart palpitations are the sensation that your heart has skipped a beat or added an extra beat. It may feel like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering. Show You may become overly aware of your heartbeat. You may feel this sensation in your chest, neck, or throat. Your heart rhythm may change during the palpitations. In most cases, heart palpitations are harmless and resolve on their own without treatment. But in other cases, heart palpitations may be an indication of a more serious underlying condition. Heart palpations can have a wide range of causes that include strong emotions, medications, and lifestyle factors. In some cases, they can be caused by a medical condition affecting your heart or another part of your body. Heart palpitations are common. One study estimates that 16 percent of visits to a doctor are because of heart palpitations. They’re also the second most common reason that people visit a cardiologist — a doctor who specializes in the heart. Possible causes of heart palpitations include: Lifestyle triggers
Emotional or psychological triggers
Drugs and medications
Heart conditionsAlthough heart palpitations can be harmless, they can also be an indication of an underlying heart condition, such as:
Other medical conditions
The cause of heart palpitations can be very difficult to diagnose, especially if the palpitations don’t occur while you’re in the doctor’s office. To start, your doctor will conduct a thorough physical exam and will likely ask you questions about your:
If necessary, your doctor may refer you to a cardiologist. A cardiologist may order certain tests to help diagnose or rule out certain diseases or heart problems. These tests may include:
Treatment depends on the cause of your palpitations. Your doctor will need to address any underlying medical conditions. Sometimes, doctors aren’t able to find the cause. Heart palpations usually don’t require treatment unless your doctor finds they’re caused by an underlying condition. If your palpitations don’t have a medical cause, you may be able to reduce symptoms by:
If your doctor or cardiologist feels that treatment isn’t necessary, taking the following steps may help lower your risk of heart palpitations:
Heart palpitations are a common condition. Most of the time, they’re harmless and don’t require medical attention. However, in some cases, they can indicate a potentially serious condition. If you have an underlying heart condition, it’s important to talk with your doctor about your heart palpitations. If you’re not sure if you have a heart condition, but your heart palpitations happen often or seem to be lasting longer or occurring more frequently, be sure to visit your doctor for a proper diagnosis. Why is my heart pounding but my heart rate is normal?Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless. Rarely, heart palpitations can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), that might require treatment.
When should I be worried about my heart it beats so hard I can feel it sometimes?You should call your doctor if your heart palpitations last longer than a few seconds at a time or occur frequently. If you're healthy, you don't need to worry about brief heart palpitations that only happen every now and then.
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