Do you ever feel like your heart is beating too fast? That could be a sign of heart palpitations. Palpitations are feeling like your heart is racing, fluttering, or skipping beats. While these sensations are usually harmless, it’s important to understand what might cause them and when to see a doctor.
Heart palpitations can be caused by many things such as stress, exercise, caffeine intake or alcohol consumption. Other causes include hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause, certain medications and even some medical conditions such as anemia or thyroid disease.
Your doctor may want to do an electrocardiogram ECG test if you experience unusual symptoms including chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness or fainting spells. An ECG records the electrical activity of your heartbeat in order to detect any irregularities in rhythm and rate which can indicate problems with the heart’s structure and functioning.
An ECG result that shows normal electrical activity doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have any underlying health issues causing the palpitations. It just means that there isn’t evidence of abnormalities found during the test itself – other tests may need to be done for further diagnosis if necessary.
During a medical exam, if you experience heart palpitations but normal ECG, the doctor may recommend additional testing to determine the cause of your symptoms.
