Symptoms of Heart Palpitations

Tiny electrical signals control the heart. Occasionally, these signals are received at the wrong time and the heart appears to miss a beat or briefly beats more rapidly. Symptoms of palpitations include unusual heartbeat patterns and feeling unwell.

Unusual Heartbeats

With heart palpitations, you may experience some of these symptoms:

• Strong, heavy heartbeats
• A fluttering feeling in the chest
• A flip-flopping sensation, as though the heart is beating out of rhythm
• Feeling as though the heart missed a beat
• An extremely fast heartbeat, often above 120 beats per minute
• Extra heartbeats, when the heart seems to beat twice in quick succession
• Feeling the heartbeat in the neck or chest

Other Palpitation Symptoms

You may experience other physical symptoms besides heart palpitations. These include sweating, dizziness and fainting. Another symptom associated with palpitations is chest pain. If you experience frequent palpitations or any of these symptoms, it's best to speak to your doctor.

What Causes Palpitations?            

There are several possible reasons for palpitations, some of which are related to activity and anxiety rather than a medical condition. Nevertheless, if you feel uncomfortable, it's wise to have a medical checkup at one of the health care centers near LifeStream at Sun City in Phoenix, Arizona.

Common Reasons for Palpitations

With increased age, some seniors experience largely harmless palpitations due to unusual activities and strong emotions, such as:

• Strenuous activity. During strenuous exercise or physically demanding activities, you may experience a racing or fluttering heart rate.
• Anxiety and stress. Extreme anxiety or stress may cause palpitations. These usually go away when you feel calm.
• Hormonal changes. Reduced estrogen levels and other hormonal changes during menopause may cause a fluttering or irregular heartbeat in women.
• Excessive stimulation. Stimulants found in cigarettes, vape products, strong coffee and caffeine-containing beverages can increase your heart rate and blood pressure and cause palpitations.
• Medications. Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications may cause heart palpitations.

Medical and Heart Conditions That May Cause Palpitations

Certain medical conditions can cause palpitations. These include:

• Cardiomyopathy. This disorder of the heart muscle affects its ability to pump blood and may cause irregular heartbeats.
• Hyperthyroidism. An overactive thyroid gland can make the heart race.
• Heart valve disease. The heart valves may leak and the valve openings narrow due to age, causing irregular heartbeats.
• Arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. The electrical signals that regulate the heart are uncontrolled, causing irregular rhythms and palpitations.

When to Be Concerned About Heart Palpitations          

If you only experience palpitations occasionally, there's usually nothing to worry about. However, if you experience any of the following, it's best to consult your doctor:

• Pain, sweating, dizziness or fainting
• Palpitations that continue for an extended period
• An irregular heartbeat most of the time
• Recently developed palpitations that keep coming back
• Palpitations every time you exercise

What Will Your Doctor Do?

First, your doctor will ask for your medical history, including any medications you take. They'll ask about any previous incidents of palpitations or whether you feel ill or experience symptoms such as lightheadedness or dizziness.

Conduct a Physical Examination

The doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination and check your pulse rate and blood pressure. They'll carefully listen to your heart to check for murmurs, erratic beats or unusual sounds that indicate a heart disorder. At some point during the examination, the doctor may ask you to do simple exercises to increase your heart rate.

Schedule an ECG and Other Tests

The doctor may schedule an electrocardiograph (ECG) to check for abnormal heart rhythms and other problems. They may request further tests such as an MRI or, if the palpitations only occur certain times, ask you to wear a portable ECG monitor.            

Treatments for Palpitations

Once the doctor or cardiologist has diagnosed your condition, they may take one or more of the following measures:

Address Underlying Health Conditions  

The doctor may prescribe medications to deal with underlying conditions. If they diagnose a serious heart condition, they may recommend corrective surgery or fit a pacemaker. They may change a medication that's worsening palpitations.

Prescribe Rhythm-Controlling Medication

The doctor may prescribe an anti-arrhythmic medication to restore normal electrical signals to the heart muscles and control the heart rate. Medications they may consider are beta-blockers that slow the heart rate and calcium channel blockers that dilate blood vessels to lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Prescribe Regular Physical Exercise

The doctor may suggest you exercise regularly or participate in low-impact sports to improve your cardiovascular health and general fitness. If palpitations are related to physical exertion, they'll discuss exercises that don't aggravate your condition.

Suggest Stress Management and Relaxation Exercises

If stress or anxiety are factors, the doctor may suggest counseling to get to learn the underlying cause of the issue. You might also consider performing relaxation exercises to reduce stress. Examples include deep breathing, meditation, yoga and journaling.

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