Palpitations

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What are palpitations? Palpitations (pal-pi-TAY-shuns) are pounding or racing feelings in your heart. You may become suddenly aware of your heartbeat, or feel that your heartbeat is not normal. You may feel skipped beats (pauses), extra beats, a "flip-flopping" sensation, or a flutter in your chest.

What causes palpitations? Palpitations may be frightening, but are usually not a serious problem. Sometimes palpitations are normal. For example, if your heart is pumping faster during exercise, you may feel palpitations. Everyone has skipped heartbeats from time to time. Things that may cause or worsen palpitations include the following.

• Anxiety, stress, or lack of sleep.
  
  
• Exercise.
  
  
• Pregnancy.
  
  
• Certain medical conditions. These may include thyroid problems, low blood sugar, breathing problems, fever, or anemia (a blood problem). Dehydration (lack of fluid in the body), losing a lot of blood, and shock may cause heart palpitations also.
  
  
• Heart disease, rhythm problems, or valve problems (such as mitral valve prolapse).
  
  
• Medicines, such as diet pills, some herbal supplements, and certain cold and allergy remedies. Some medicines taken for heart, blood pressure, or breathing problems may cause palpitations. Some "street" drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines (speed), may also cause palpitations.
  
  
• Caffeine, which may be found in chocolate, coffee, tea, soda pop, and some sports drinks and foods.
  
  
• Nicotine, which is found in tobacco products such as cigarettes.

What are the signs and symptoms of palpitations? You may feel like your heart is racing, jumping, throbbing, or "fluttering" in your chest. You may feel like your heart has extra beats, stops for a short time, or skips a beat. Palpitations may be serious if you feel dizzy, confused (trouble thinking), light-headed, have trouble breathing, or faint (pass out). They may also be serious if you feel pain, pressure, or tightness in your chest, neck, jaw, arms, or upper back.

How are palpitations diagnosed? It can be hard for your caregiver to find out what is causing your symptoms. Often, by the time you see a caregiver, your palpitations have stopped. Caregivers have a better chance of finding out what is wrong if you are seen when your palpitations are happening. Your caregiver will review your medical history and any symptoms you have. Your caregiver will examine you, and listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Other things that may be done include:

• Tests on your blood and urine to look for possible causes of your palpitations.
  
  
• An EKG may be done to look for problems with your heart rhythm, or damage in different areas of the heart. You may be asked to exercise while hooked up to an EKG machine. This is called an exercise stress test. You may need to wear a portable heart monitor at home for a short time. Other heart tests may be done if your caregivers think that you may have a heart problem.
  
  
• A chest x-ray to check your heart and lungs.
  
  
• An ultrasound of your heart called an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram can find problems with your heart that do not show up on an EKG or in an x-ray.
  
  
• If you have problems with fainting, you may need a tilt table test. This test checks to see what happens to your heart and your blood pressure when you change positions.

How are palpitations treated? Treatment depends on what is causing the palpitations, your symptoms, and other health problems you may have. If your palpitations cause few symptoms and you are healthy, you may not need any treatment. You may need to make lifestyle changes, such as decreasing stress and avoiding alcohol and caffeine. Do not smoke or use tobacco products. Work with your caregiver to find the right exercise program for you. Do not exercise longer or harder than your caregiver has told you to. If your symptoms bother you or you have other health problems, you may need other treatments.

Risks: For most people, palpitations are not dangerous. However, it is important to be seen by a caregiver if you have new or worsening symptoms. Without treatment, you could have more episodes of heart palpitations. Some palpitations may be caused by serious heart rhythm problems. If these problems are left untreated, it can increase your chance of heart failure, heart attack, or stroke. Rarely, palpitations are caused by health problems that may be serious, even life threatening. Call your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your medicine or care.

Coping with palpitations: You may feel scared, confused, or anxious because of your heart palpitations. Call or write the following for more information about heart disease and rhythm problems.

• American Heart Association National Center
  7272 Greenville Avenue
  Dallas, TX 75231-4596
  Phone: 1-800-242-8721
  Web Address: http://www.americanheart.org
  

• Heart Rhythm Society
  1400 K Street NW, Ste 500
  Washington, DC 20005
  Phone: 1-202-464-3400
  Web Address: www.hrsonline.org
  

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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