Are you aware of your heartbeat? If yes, then it is possible that you are experiencing palpitations.
Palpitation can be defined as the awareness of your heartbeat. It may be due to an arrhythmia and patients who suffer from it say they can sense their heart pound, flutter, beat irregularly or miss some beats. This sensation can last from a few seconds to minutes or even longer periods.
Many causes of palpitations are harmless and are not often an indication of an underlying problem with the heart. However, palpitations can indicate an underlying problem if there are known problems with the shape or function of the heart, or there is accompaying chest pain, breathlessness, dizziness or loss of consciousness, or if there is a family history of rhythm problems with the heart.
Often palpitations can be due to ectopics (extra beats) which are more common in anxiety, stress, excessive intake of alcohol and caffeine and in smokers. Often these are not of any particular concern but may need investigation to look for underlying heart disease.
There are other causes of palpitations such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), atrial flutter and in some rare cases, ventricular tachycardia (VT).
You will need an electrocardiogram (ECG) during the palpitations, and if intermittent, a 24-hour ECG so that the rhythm problem can be identified during symptoms. Depending on the findings you may also need an echocardiogram or other types of imaging.
The treatment is dependent on the underlying cause of symptoms. Many palpitations require no treatment but reassurance that there is no serious problem with the heart. In other cases a tablet such as a beta-blocker may be very effective. In some cases procedures such as ablation may be beneficial
Palpitations are a common symptom requiring careful evaluation and testing. Our cardiologists are available for consultation on any day of the week and weekends as well.
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