Your heart is suddenly racing and feels like it’s skipping beats. Is this normal or a sign of something more serious?
Heartbeats can stray from their regular rates and rhythms for several reasons. Sometimes, your heart beats fast because you’re nervous, excited or had too much coffee. But other times, it happens because of an underlying heart condition. Here’s what you need to know about these heartbeat changes.
Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias (uh-RITH-me-uhs) are when the heart fires too fast, too slow or irregularly. They are caused by flaws in the heart’s usual electrical signals. Not all arrhythmias are harmful or linked to conditions that require evaluation and treatment. Some don’t even cause symptoms, and when they do, it doesn’t mean something is seriously wrong.
Still, certain kinds of arrhythmias, like ventricular fibrillation can be life-threatening. That’s why it’s important to watch for noticeable arrhythmia symptoms, including:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Fainting or near fainting
- Fatigue
- Fluttering in the chest
- Racing or slow heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
Several conditions can cause arrhythmias, including:
- Anxiety/stress
- Blocked arteries
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Too much caffeine
- Under or over active thyroid gland
If you experience persistent, annoying symptoms, contact your doctor. Simple, noninvasive tests can often show the reason why an arrhythmia is occurring. Medications and treatments may be able to restore the heart’s normal rhythm.
Palpitations
Palpitations are feelings that one’s heart is beating rapidly, fluttering, stronger than usual or skipping beats. While they can be frightening, they aren’t usually serious and may go away on their own. Sometimes, they occur because of hormonal changes; fear, anxiety or stress; medications; or because someone has had too much alcohol, caffeine or nicotine. In more serious cases, they are a symptom of a medical condition or underlying heart disease.
If you experience palpitations and one or more of the following symptoms, seek medical care immediately:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Heart conditions related to palpitations include:
- Blocked arteries in your heart
- Heart failure
- Heart muscle or valve problems
- Previous heart attack
Ask your doctor about simple tests that can find the cause of your palpitations. Treatments to get rid of palpitations or reduce their frequency are available. Lifestyle changes like stress management can also help.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. It occurs when the heart beats at an irregular, often rapid pace. While A-Fib is usually not life-threatening, it does increase the chance of a stroke occurring because it prevents part of the heart from properly beating and effectively moving blood.
A-Fib symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Heart palpitations or fluttering feeling
- Skipped heartbeat followed by a thump
Once patients are diagnosed with A-Fib, they need additional evaluation to check their risk for stroke. Medications like blood thinners can reduce the risk. A non-surgical procedure called cardioversion can also restore the heart’s normal rhythm. In some cases, people with A-Fib may need a pacemaker – a small electrical device placed inside the body to regulate heartbeat.