Heart palpitations are heartbeats that you suddenly notice.
Your heart may feel like it's pounding heavily or beating irregularly for a few moments.
Although they may seem worrying, the good news is that they are mostly harmless and are NOT a sign of a serious issue.
If your palpitations only last a few seconds and do not recur frequently, you may not need to see a doctor. This is because any of the following can all cause "harmless" palpitations:
- Caffeine
- Smoking
- Stress/anxiety
- Exercise
- Certain types of medications
In these examples, your palpitations will generally go away by itself if you change your behaviour - such as controlling anxiety or drinking less coffee.
However, if your palpitations:
- occur frequently
- last for longer than a few seconds
- get worse
- are associated with other symptoms such as breathlessness, dizziness, fainting, or chest discomfort
you should seek urgent medical attention. Some medical causes of palpitations which need to be treated include:
- an overactive thyroid gland
- heart conditions, such as abnormal heart structure and abnormal heart rhythms
To help determine the cause for your palpitations, your doctor may:
- ask about your symptoms, family history and medical history
- perform some blood tests
- carry out an ECG
