Heart palpitations are sensations where you become aware of your heart beating in an unusual way. They can feel like your heart is beating too fast, fluttering, pounding, flip-flopping, or skipping beats. These sensations may be felt in the chest, throat, or neck
. Palpitations are often harmless and can be triggered by stress, anxiety, exercise, stimulants like caffeine or nicotine, hormonal changes, or certain medications. However, in some cases, they may indicate a more serious heart condition such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), which might require medical evaluation and treatment
. Symptoms of palpitations include:
- Racing or pounding heart
- Fluttering or flip-flopping sensation
- Skipped or extra beats
They can occur during activity or at rest and may sometimes be accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fainting, which warrant urgent medical attention
. Common causes include emotional stress, strenuous exercise, stimulants, fever, hormone changes, and thyroid hormone imbalances. Rarely, palpitations are linked to heart diseases such as arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, or valve problems
. In summary, heart palpitations are noticeable irregular heartbeats that are usually benign but can sometimes signal underlying heart issues needing medical assessment
