When To Seek Treatment for Heart Palpitations

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:25 What are Heart Palpitations
1:22 Symptom of Heart Palpitations
2:15 When to seek Medical Help
4:08 How to deal with Heart Palpitations

Palpitations are perceived abnormalities of the heartbeat characterized by awareness of cardiac muscle contractions in the chest, which is further characterized by the hard, fast and/or irregular beatings of the heart.[1]

Symptoms include a rapid pulsation, an abnormally rapid or irregular beating of the heart.[1] Palpitations are a sensory symptom and are often described as a skipped beat, rapid fluttering in the chest, pounding sensation in the chest or neck, or a flip-flopping in the chest.[1]

Palpitation can be associated with anxiety and does not necessarily indicate a structural or functional abnormality of the heart, but it can be a symptom arising from an objectively rapid or irregular heartbeat. Palpitation can be intermittent and of variable frequency and duration, or continuous. Associated symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating, headaches and chest pain.

Palpitation may be associated with coronary heart disease, hyperthyroidism, diseases affecting cardiac muscle such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, diseases causing low blood oxygen such as asthma and emphysema; previous chest surgery; kidney disease; blood loss and pain; anemia; drugs such as antidepressants, statins, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines; electrolyte imbalances of magnesium, potassium and calcium; and deficiencies of nutrients such as taurine, arginine, iron, vitamin B12.[2]

Three common descriptions of palpitation are "flip-flopping" (or "stop and start"), often caused by premature contraction of the atrium or ventricle, with the perceived "stop" from the pause following the contraction, and the "start" from the subsequent forceful contraction; rapid "fluttering in the chest", with regular "fluttering" suggesting supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias (including sinus tachycardia) and irregular "fluttering" suggesting atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, or tachycardia with variable block; and "pounding in the neck" or neck pulsations, often due to cannon A waves in the jugular venous, pulsations that occur when the right atrium contracts against a closed tricuspid valve.[3]

Palpitation associated with chest pain suggests coronary artery disease, or if the chest pain is relieved by leaning forward, pericardial disease is suspected. Palpitation associated with light-headedness, fainting or near fainting suggest low blood pressure and may signify a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm. Palpitation that occurs regularly with exertion suggests a rate-dependent bypass tract or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. If a benign cause for these concerning symptoms cannot be found at the initial visit, then ambulatory monitoring or prolonged heart monitoring in the hospital might be warranted. Noncardiac symptoms should also be elicited since the palpitations may be caused by a normal heart responding to a metabolic or inflammatory condition. Weight loss suggests hyperthyroidism. Palpitation can be precipitated by vomiting or diarrhea that leads to electrolyte disorders and hypovolemia. Hyperventilation, hand tingling, and nervousness are common when anxiety or panic disorder is the cause of the palpitations.[4]

[Skalekul]

There seems to be a lack of recognition that heart palpitations can be caused by changes in cardiac contractility as a result of abnormal changes in autonomic tone. Even changes in cardiac preload/afterload and vascular resistance (e.g. in vasodilation or hypovolemia). These don't necessarily represent an arrythmia but the vast majority of doctors I have spoken with seem to think that palpitations are only caused by arrhythmia or anxiety - which of course is not the case. Increased intra abdominal pressure can theoretically cause palpitations by both vagal changes and such pressure causing the pulse to resonate into the abdomen.

[earnwithharshofficial]

When I was 20 years old my first heart palpitation happens and last long for 2 mins. then after one month 2nd happens day by day frequency increases And I get very nervous and panic when ever it happens then I see lots of doctors they do so many test ECG's and Hemoglobin But All are normal (One year complete since 1st heart palpitation occurs)....But then also heart palpitation occurres, then I do so many research Then I know the reason what trigger my palpitation and the reason is Gastric problem..and then till date when ever I feel heart palpitation is occurring I walk and ones the gas pass I feel very comfortable.... that's all

[ShonenJoe]

I get palpitations whenever I take cough and cold pills and I only take them when I have to. Why does this happen? I should also mention those pills put you to sleep fast.

[HiSui]

I was diagnose with hyperthyroidism and one of its symptoms is this. Now I am on medication and I'm taking propranolol for my heart.

[mejie]

My palpitation (specifically pounding heart palpitation) lasts for only a split second but I have them 2-5 everyday. I dont know if this was because of a hot weather, health anxiety, or a combination of both. I also felt pulses in my neck and suprasternal notch. Im scared. 😢😢😢

[LoveisaLie]

I have heart palpitations constantly now.
It usually gets triggered when I bend down, odd.
I remember the longest heart palpitation I felt. It was fast hard heartbeats that lasted for 20 mins. It scared me so bad.

[carlosmelendez]

Can anyone elaborate on this please? So, I do have anxiety and one day I took a fish oil, vitamin d and a coq10 pill in the morning. Drunk a mixture of cayenne pepper powder, turmeric, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. About 1 hour later while sitting at work I had a heart flutter and then another right after. I usually try to take a deep breath or hold my breath using the vagus maneuver to get back to normal but heart fluttered back to back for about 30 seconds and then really fast heartbeat. What can be said about this? Am I taking too many supplements and or remedies for my heart that are causing this, is it my anxiety, or do I need to have my heart checked??? When it happens like this I get really panicked and wanna drop everything and run to an ER. Usually goes away in less than 5 minutes but when it happens I feel like my heart is going to stop.

[MemeWorld-oxom]

I have palpitations followed by burning sensation in heart? Can you tell me what's happening to me?

[bobmarshall]

There is an issue related to the gut called Roemheld Syndrome. This can cause palpitations.

[starthejar]

ive bee having heart palpertations pretty much every night since i was 13 (17 now) ad i dont know if i shoukd go to the doctors because im anxious about the tests theyll be doing

[reisesser]

I am 15 and I have it often when I am playing football, maybe when I did not warm up properly. They appear suddenly and last sometimes about an hour long. Or when I stop exercising and lay down. Then it feels like they are gone. But the next day I feel a bit uncomfortable in my chest, like my heart is very heavy. Is that normal?

[priyachinki]

Same I to even experience panic attacts too

[shadyss]

My palpitations are skipped beats. I had a monitor on me for 7 days and it turned out okay. Because in that 7 days i only had like maybe two palpitations. And i also had ECG that was good too. So i dont know where is the problem. But for last 3 days i had palpitations. For every 10-15 seconds. And when i was walking it was many more. I hope im not dying😢

[SonzOfEnoch]

i have Anxiety disorder so sometimes i get them mild heart flutter or palpitation' but my ECG is fine and Blood test shows no signs of heart issues' i just get a light flutter in my chest time to time.

[pmaint]

Heart palpitations are also caused by vitamin and nutrient deficiencies such as potassium or magnesium. And almost everyone is deficient in potassium.