Heart Palpitation Definition

To diagnose heart palpitations, your physician will use a stethoscope to determine if your heart is beating regularly. In addition, he may order medical tests, such as an echocardiogram or a chest x-ray to detect underlying conditions, such as cardiovascular disease that may cause heart palpitations.

Significance

• Heart palpitations are the feelings of having rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats. Heart palpitations can be triggered by stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, an underlying medical condition.

Identification

• Heart palpitations can occur in your chest, neck or throat. The symptoms, include rapid, fluttering, skipped or fast-pounding heartbeats.

Causes

• Some causes of heart palpitations include being anxious, overexercising and using medications, such as cold medicines that contain caffeine, pseudoephedrine and other stimulants.

Effects

• Heart palpitations may result in fainting due to your blood pressure dropping. In rare cases, palpitations may cause cardiac arrest or heart failure in those with arrhythmia.

Prevention/Solution

• Exercise and meditation are two methods of reducing stress, one of the causes of heart palpitations. In addition, avoiding nicotine, caffeine and other stimulants can also help to alleviate heart palpitations.