REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT AFibĪtrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a common condition that causes the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) to quiver irregularly instead of beating at a regular pace. Andrea Tordini to take the guess work out of your heart health. Got heart concerns? Talk to a heart expertĬount on Dr. Sometimes, heart palpitations are a sign of a serious type of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) such as atrial fibrillation (AFib) or ventricular tachycardia (VT), or even heart failure. Call 911 or your local emergency number – it’s always better to be safe than sorry. These are possible warning signs of a heart attack or other serious heart condition that requires immediate medical attention. If a person’s heart palpitations are accompanied by: They when, when you do visit your doctor, it will be easier for them to make an accurate diagnosis. That being said, it’s still a good idea to monitor your palpitations and keep track of how often they happen and how long they last. If you’re healthy, you don’t need to worry about brief heart palpitations that only happen every now and then. You should call your doctor if your heart palpitations last longer than a few seconds at a time or occur frequently. Other times, it could be your heart trying to tell you that something’s wrong. A majority of the time, they’ll be completely benign (not harmful). Nearly everyone will experience heart palpitations at some point. If you have low blood sugar, eating too many carbohydrate-rich foods and processed sugars can increase your likelihood of experiencing palpitations. Being dehydrated or having low levels of potassium can also trigger heart palpitations. They can determine if your medication could be the cause. If you’re taking any medication and experienced palpitations, tell your doctor. Likewise, a thumping heart caused by stimulant use can be calmed by reducing your intake of tobacco products and caffeine. Finding your stress triggers and addressing them can also help you avoid palpitations in the future. Instead, they are commonly triggered by:įor the most part, palpitations caused by non-heart related triggers can be treated with simple home remedies.įor example, if you only feel your heart race when you’re anxious or stressed, relaxation techniques like meditation and deep breathing could be the key to reducing these palpitations. If you’re worried that your heart palpitations are the result of a heart problem, here’s some good news – most palpitations are not caused by heart-related issues. You can even feel these sensations in your throat or neck. A heartbeat that feels irregular/out of rhythm/skips a beatĪny sensation that makes you aware of your heart beating is a type of palpitation.Feeling like your heart is beating too quickly.A broad medical term, the term “palpitation” can mean many different things, including:

Have you ever felt your heart skip a beat or flutter in your chest? If so, you’ve experienced heart palpitations. You should contact your doctor if you experience heart palpitations frequently, for longer than a few seconds, or if they are accompanied by dizziness, loss of consciousness, chest or upper body pain, nausea, excessive or unusual sweating, and shortness of breath. Heart Palpitations occur for many reasons. Knowing when to worry about heart palpitations can help you catch certain conditions early so that you can seek the appropriate treatment option. Rarely, they could be a sign of a more serious condition like atrial fibrillation or AFib. However, that’s not to say that you should ignore them completely. Heart palpitations can make you fear the worst, but palpitations are actually quite common and usually nothing to worry about. This blog was originally published in September, 2019.īelieving that something could be wrong with your heart is a scary feeling.

Chest flutter