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A Racing, Pounding Heartbeat - When You Should be Concerned
an article from the Fall 2009 issue of…
A heart that's racing or pounding may be nothing to worry about. But sometimes these sensations — called heart palpitations — can signal a more serious condition. Common triggers include:
- Exercise
- Stress, anxiety or fear
- Caffeine, nicotine or alcohol
- Drugs like diet pills and decongestants, or certain asthma, thyroid or heart medications
- Iron deficiency
- Heart disease or heart structural problems
Abnormal rhythm
Heart palpitations may signal an abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. Other symptoms of this condition include fainting, chest pain, dizziness, sweating, pale skin or shortness of breath.
With arrhythmia, your heart may beat too fast, too slowly or irregularly. Medications may be used to regulate heart rhythm. Many patients also benefit from implantable devices, such as a pacemaker. Newer techniques, known as ablation therapy, use an energy source to destroy (or ablate) the area of the heart causing the abnormal rhythm.
Call a doctor
If you experience unexplained heart palpitations, talk with a doctor. Call a doctor right away if:
- You frequently feel a rapid heartbeat
- Your usual heart palpitations feel different
- Your pulse is more than 100 beats a minute and not related to exercise, anxiety or fever
Visit the Heart Institute
Request heart literature
Heart Diagnosis
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