What are the signs and symptoms of heart palpitations?

Symptoms of palpitations include feelings that your heart is:

• Skipping a beat
• Fluttering
• Beating too hard or fast

You may have these feelings in your chest, throat, or neck. They can occur during activity or even when you're sitting still or lying down.

Often, palpitations are harmless and your heart is working normally. Palpitations can be a sign of a more serious problem if you also:

• Feel dizzy or confused
• Are lightheaded, think you may faint, or do faint
• Have trouble breathing
• Have pain, pressure, or tightness in your chest, jaw, or arm
• Feel short of breath
• Have unusual sweating

If your doctor has already told you that your palpitations are harmless, talk to him or her again if they:

• Start to occur more often or are more noticeable or bothersome
• Occur with other symptoms, such as those listed above

Your doctor will want to check whether your palpitations are the symptom of a heart problem, such as an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

Notes: U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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EditText of this page (last edited February 9, 2009)