What to do when your heart skips a beat

February 9, 2020

Providence Heart & Vascular Team

[4 MIN READ]

Most of the time, heart palpitations are benign or caused by something other than a heart condition.
If you feel consistent palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.
Providence cardiologists say lifestyle changes can often help reduce palpitations.

Heart all a-flutter? If it’s not in the romantic sense, then it is important to learn what causes heart palpitations and when it’s important to see your doctor.

Feeling your heart skip a beat can be unnerving. The good news is that most of the time, these brief flutters are not a sign of a life-threatening condition.

When your heart flutters, races, or skips a beat, it’s known as a heart palpitation. In many cases, one or two skips are not a problem. However, if you have consistent palpitations or experience fainting, dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

What causes heart palpitations?

Palpitations are not always caused by a heart problem or condition. In fact, palpitations can be triggered by physical activity, certain foods, medicines, or your emotions.

Some common triggers can include:

Having too much caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco
Eating too much chocolate
Stress or anxiety
Fatigue
Overexertion
Fever
Low potassium
Low blood sugar
Dehydration
An overactive thyroid gland
Low blood pressure
Hormone changes caused by pregnancy, menstruation or menopause
Certain medicines, such as thyroid treatments, asthma medication or cold medicine

If the palpitation is caused by something in your heart, it could be a premature contraction or an arrhythmia. The chart below outlines symptoms you may be feeling and when to see a doctor.

Diagnosing heart palpitations

When you meet with your doctor about heart palpitations, be sure to explain how long they have been going on, what they feel like and any other symptoms you have. Your doctor will likely have you:

Undergo blood tests to check whether the palpitations are caused by something other than the heart, such as thyroid problems.
Do an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), which checks the electrical signals in your heart to make sure it is functioning correctly.
Wear a Holter monitor for a few days to track your heart rhythm while you’re at home following a normal routine.

Treating heart palpitations

Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor may first have you make some lifestyle changes to see if they reduce the palpitations. This may include quitting smoking, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, or making adjustments to your diet.

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe certain medicines to treat the arrhythmia, such as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers. If the arrhythmia is severe, your doctor may recommend catheter ablation treatment, which uses heat to destroy the area of the heart that is causing the irregular heartbeat.

Feeling too many heart flutters? See a doctor

Experiencing a heart flutter after too much coffee or a stressful event isn’t unusual. However, if you’re experiencing a consistently rapid heart rate or frequent palpitations over a period of days, you should see a doctor.

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