Heartbeat Sensations
Definition Heart palpitations are heartbeat sensations that feel like pounding or racing. You may simply have an unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat. Or, you may feel skipped or stopped beats. Your heart rythym may be regular (normal) or irregular (abnormal). Palpitations can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck.
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Overview & Considerations
Normally the heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. In people who are physically very fit (those who exercise routinely) and in people who take medications that slow the heart, the rate may drop below 55 beats per minute.
If your heart rate is very fast (over 100 beats per minute), this is called tachycardia. An unusually slow heart rate is called bradycardia, and if you feel an occasional extra heart beat this is known as extrasystole.
Most people who complain about palpitations do not have heart disease, although many are concerned about the possibility.
Serious or concerning palpitations depends on whether the sensations represent an abnormal heart rhythm (called an arrhythmia) or not. You are more likely to have an abnormal heart rhythm if you:
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Already have heart disease at the time that the palpitations begin.
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Have significant risk factors for heart disease.
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Have an abnormal heart valve.
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Have an electrolyte abnormality.
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