- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Palpitations
Category: Chest, Heart & Circulation · All chest & heart symptoms
What it can feel like
Palpitations are an awareness of your own heartbeat — feeling it pound, race, flutter or miss beats when you would normally not notice it. Most episodes are brief and harmless, but palpitations that come with faintness, chest pain or breathlessness always need prompt assessment.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Palpitations can be associated with anxiety and panic, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, lack of sleep, fever and some medicines, including decongestants and inhalers. Occasional extra beats are very common and usually benign.
Other possible causes
Palpitations can also be associated with heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation or fast rhythms starting in the heart's chambers, with an overactive thyroid, anaemia, or low blood salts.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Palpitations with fainting, chest pain or severe breathlessness
- A heartbeat that races and will not slow down
- Palpitations in someone with known heart disease
- An irregular pulse that persists between episodes
What a clinician may do
A clinician will feel your pulse, listen to your heart and arrange an ECG. If episodes are occasional, a wearable monitor worn for a day or longer is used to catch one. Blood tests check thyroid function, blood count and salts.
Watch: related videos
Examination and clinical videos from the MedicalVideos.com library relevant to this symptom. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need a heart monitor if my ECG was normal?
A standard ECG records only a few seconds, so it is often normal between episodes. A monitor worn for 24 hours or longer records your rhythm during ordinary life and has a much better chance of catching the episode — which is how the rhythm is identified.
Can anxiety really make my heart feel like that?
Yes — adrenaline raises heart rate and force, and anxiety heightens awareness of each beat. The diagnosis is usually made after heart rhythms and thyroid problems have been excluded, not before.
Related symptoms — Chest, Heart & Circulation
Browse the P section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.