Heart palpitations happen when you notice your heartbeat. You might feel your heart racing, fluttering, or skipping a beat. These feelings can scare you, and you might ask yourself: can heart palpitations kill you? Here’s what you should know.
What Are Heart Palpitations?
Heart palpitations can affect anyone. They might pop up when you’re stressed out, after you’ve had too much coffee, or even while you’re working out. You may notice your heart racing when you’re lying in bed or taking it easy. Most of the time, they don’t last long and stop without you doing anything.
When Should You Be Concerned?
While palpitations that happen now and then don’t raise red flags, they can sometimes point to a heart problem. If you feel your heart racing and also have chest pain, can’t catch your breath, feel dizzy, or pass out, you need to see a doctor right away. These might be warning signs of something more serious, like an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or heart disease.
Can Palpitations Be Dangerous?
Heart palpitations don’t pose a danger. But when they connect to an arrhythmia, they can become more concerning. Some arrhythmias such as supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT), Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, atrial fibrillation (AFib) or ventricular tachycardia (VT), can raise your chances of having a stroke or heart failure if you don’t treat them. In certain situations, a bad arrhythmia (e.g. VT or Ventricular fibrillation) might cause sudden cardiac arrest, which can kill you. This is why you need to figure out what’s causing your palpitations.
How are these arrhythmias detected?
Doctors spot heart rhythm problems using ambulatory EKG holter and mobile EKG devices. These tools keep an eye on the heart’s electrical signals for a long time, 24-48 hours or more. They record any odd heart rhythms as people go about their day. This helps doctors find and study unusual patterns to figure out what’s wrong and how to treat it.
How Are Palpitations Treated?
If your heart flutters have a specific cause, like coffee or stressful worrying, just staying away from these things might fix the problem. But if a heart issue is behind them, your doctor may suggest more tests and care. The key is to pay attention to your body. If you notice frequent or bad palpitations with other signs, make sure to get medical help (sometimes beta blockers). Quick action can stop more serious problems and keep your heart in good shape. Learn more here.
