Does your heart race or skip a beat? Those are heart palpitations, and they can be a little scary. What causes them, and when should you see a doctor?
Palpitations make you feel like your heart is beating too hard or too fast, skipping a beat, or fluttering. You may notice heart palpitations in your chest, throat, or neck.
They can be bothersome or frightening. They usually aren’t serious or harmful, though, and often go away on their own. Most of the time, they’re caused by stress and anxiety, or because you’ve had too much caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol. They can also happen when you’re pregnant.
In rare cases, palpitations can be a sign of a more serious heart condition. If you have heart palpitations, see your doctor. Get immediate medical attention if they come with:
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Fainting
After your doctor takes your medical history and looks you over, they may order tests to find the cause. If they find one, the right treatment can reduce or get rid of the palpitations.
If there’s no underlying cause, lifestyle changes can help, including stress management.
Causes
There can be many. Usually, palpitations are either related to your heart or the cause is unknown. Non-heart-related causes include:
- Strong emotions like anxiety, fear, or stress. They often happen during panic attacks.
- Vigorous physical activity
- Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines
- Medical conditions, including thyroid disease, a low blood sugar level, anemia, low blood pressure, fever, and dehydration
- Hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, or just before menopause. Sometimes, palpitations during pregnancy are signs of anemia.
- Medications, including diet pills, decongestants, asthma inhalers, and some drugs used to prevent arrhythmias (a serious heart rhythm problem) or treat an underactive thyroid
- Some herbal and nutritional supplements
- Abnormal electrolyte levels
Some people have palpitations after heavy meals rich in carbohydrates, sugar, or fat. Sometimes, eating foods with a lot of monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates, or sodium can bring them on, too.
If you have heart palpitations after eating certain foods, it could be due to food sensitivity. Keeping a food diary can help you figure out which foods to avoid.
They can also be related to heart disease. When they are, they’re more likely to represent arrhythmia. Heart conditions tied to palpitations include:
- Prior heart attack
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart failure
- Heart valve problems
- Heart muscle problems
Treatment
This depends on their cause. Often, palpitations are harmless and go away on their own. In that case, no treatment is needed.
If your doctor doesn’t find a cause, they may advise you to avoid the things that might trigger the palpitations.
Ease anxiety and stress. Leave a stressful situation and try to be calm. Anxiety, stress, fear, or panic can cause palpitations. Cut out certain foods, beverages, and other substances. These may include:
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Illegal drugs
Credit: webmd.com
