Understanding Palpitations
Understanding Your Palpitations
Palpitations are sensations where you notice your heart fluttering, pounding, or skipping a beat. They often happen during rest or activity. Common triggers include caffeine, dehydration, poor sleep, and stress.
How Patients Commonly Describe the Sensation:
- A momentary pause followed by a noticeable 'hard thump' or flip-flop in the chest
- Rapid, fluttering heartbeats that start and stop suddenly
- A pounding pulse felt strongly in the neck, throat, or ears when lying quietly in bed
- A racing pulse that seems out of proportion to your physical activity level
How It Develops
They can occur during rest, exercise, stress, or after caffeine, poor sleep, or dehydration.
What It Means
Most flutterings are harmless extra beats. A simple rhythm check confirms your heart's baseline health.
What Could Be Causing It?
A Reassuring Note for Patients
Most people who experience palpitations have completely normal heart structures. Common triggers like coffee, poor sleep, dehydration, hormonal fluctuations, or stress are far more common than dangerous rhythm disorders.
Everyday & Non-Cardiac Factors
Cardiovascular & Vascular Conditions
Finding the Cause
Because palpitations often come and go, diagnosing them involves capturing your electrical heart rhythm while the fluttering is actively occurring.
Diagnostic tests include:
12-Lead Resting ECG
Measures baseline electrical pathways, conduction intervals (like QT duration), and checks for resting arrhythmias.
24-Hour to 7-Day Holter / Event Monitor
A small, lightweight wearable patch that records every heartbeat during your regular daily activities and sleep.
Echocardiogram (Ultrasound)
Examines the physical heart structure to confirm that heart chambers, muscle walls, and valves are healthy.
And more, when clinically appropriate
We use additional diagnostic tools based on your symptoms, clinical findings, and individual risk profile.
When Should You Seek Urgent Care?
Clear guidance distinguishing immediate medical red flags from symptoms suitable for routine clinic assessment.
When to Schedule a Standard Clinic Consultation:
Immediate Emergency Warning Signs (Call 911 / 999):
Seek emergency medical evaluation (call 911 / 999) if palpitations are accompanied by any of the following:
What Can Help?
Practical Daily Measures
Cut back on excess caffeine, energy drinks, nicotine, and late-night alcohol.
Drink plenty of water and maintain adequate electrolyte balance throughout the day.
Try gentle vagal techniques (such as deep, slow belly breathing or washing your face with cold water) during mild fluttering.
Maintain regular sleep hygiene, as chronic fatigue significantly lowers your rhythm threshold.
What You Should Monitor
Whether your pulse feels regular like a clock or completely irregular and jumpy
How fast the heart is beating during episodes (you can check with a smartwatch or pulse reading)
How long each episode lasts and what you were doing right before it started
When to Arrange Assessment
Schedule an assessment if palpitations occur multiple times a week, last longer than a few minutes, interfere with your peace of mind, or occur during exercise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click any question below to expand the clinical answer.
Looking to get a diagnosis?