Are Heart Palpitations Dangerous? When to See a Doctor

What Are Heart Palpitations?

Heart palpitations are the sensation of your heart beating in a way that feels abnormal -- too fast, too hard, fluttering, or skipping beats. You may feel them in your chest, throat, or neck. Most people experience palpitations at some point in their life.

Palpitations can last a few seconds, a few minutes, or longer. They may occur at rest, during physical activity, or at night when lying down.

Common Harmless Causes

Many palpitations are caused by factors that are not related to the heart and are generally harmless. These include caffeine or energy drinks, stress and anxiety, lack of sleep, dehydration, vigorous exercise, and hormonal changes such as during pregnancy or menopause.

Ectopic beats -- where the heart produces an extra beat followed by a pause -- are extremely common and almost always benign. They can feel like a "flip" or "thud" in the chest.

When Palpitations May Be Serious

Palpitations can sometimes indicate an underlying heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) that requires treatment. Warning signs that your palpitations should be investigated include: episodes lasting longer than a few minutes, palpitations accompanied by dizziness or fainting, chest pain occurring alongside palpitations, breathlessness during episodes, palpitations during or immediately after exercise, and a family history of sudden cardiac death.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and significantly increases the risk of stroke if untreated. It causes an irregular, often rapid heartbeat and can come and go (paroxysmal AF) or be persistent.

How a Cardiologist Tests for Palpitations

The most common test for palpitations is a 24 Hour Holter Monitor. This small, portable device attaches to your chest with electrodes and records every single heartbeat over a full day while you go about your normal activities. It captures intermittent episodes that may not occur during a brief clinic visit.

An echocardiogram may also be recommended to check the structure and function of the heart and rule out underlying causes such as valve disease or cardiomyopathy.

At Complete Heart Centre, both Holter monitoring and echocardiograms are fully bulk billed through Medicare at our Sydenham, Bundoora and Williams Landing clinics.