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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TA-shuns) are the feelings of having rapid, fluttering or pounding heartbeats. Heart palpitations can be triggered by stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, an underlying medical condition.

Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless, since your heart is usually still pumping effectively. In rare cases, heart palpitations may be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), that may require treatment.

Symptoms
References
  1. Zimetbaum PJ. Overview of palpitations in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Feb. 3, 2011.
  2. Palpitations. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hpl/hpl_all.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2011.
  3. Khamis RY, et al. Palpitations. Medicine. 2009;37:100.
  4. Abbott AV. Diagnostic approach to palpitations. American Family Physician. 2005;71:743.
  5. Thompson J. Psychological and physical etiologies of heart palpitations. Holistic Nursing Practice. 2006;20:107.
DS01139 April 21, 2011

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