Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations are feelings of having a fast beating, fluttering or pounding heart. “It may not be that the heart is actually beating faster, but the patient has the perception of the heart racing or ‘flip flopping,’” says Dr. Robert Stauffer, an interventional cardiologist at Washington Regional Cardiovascular Clinic, part of the Walker Heart Institute.
Many factors may contribute to feeling heart palpitations, including:
- Allergy medications, particularly inhalers
- Stimulant medications such as ADHD medications
- Diet pills
- Hyperthyroidism
- Underlying structural heart problems, which are more serious and need to be investigated
“We have to determine whether there's really an underlying structural heart problem, versus whether the palpitations are due to a medication or another less serious cause, which is far more common,” Stauffer says.
Questions a physician will ask when evaluating heart palpitations include:
- Do you have thyroid disease?
- Have you had your thyroid checked?
- What medications are you on?
- Have you tried to wean down the dose if you're on certain medications that might be causing palpitations?
- Do you use caffeine and other stimulants?
- Do you have any family history of heart disease?
- What other symptoms do you have?
“A lot of times you'll wear a monitor, and possibly to get an ultrasound of your heart so we can get an idea of if there is a problem with the heart itself,” Stauffer says. “You should ask some of your questions to your primary care doctor. They can evaluate potential causes of palpitations, often without having to see a cardiologist.”
If heart palpitations occur along with any of the following serious symptoms, seek medical care:
- Passing out, especially without warning
- Racing heartbeat that doesn’t subside
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
If you experience serious symptoms or your primary care physician recommends seeing a cardiologist, call Washington Regional Cardiovascular Clinic at 479.463.8740 to request an appointment.