One of the goals of diagnosis is to identify people at risk of arrhythmia. They may also use imaging studies to look at the structure or function of the heart. If necessary, the doctor may order blood tests to examine electrolyte, hormone, or thyroid levels. If heart palpitations are not occurring at the time of the examination, the doctor may ask the individual to tap out the rhythm of the palpitations that they usually experience. They will also check the person’s vital signs, including blood pressure and pulse rate, and listen to their heart through a stethoscope. social and dietary habits, including caffeine and alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep, and drug and medication use.if there are other symptoms, such as fainting, pain, or lightheadedness.if the symptoms begin slowly or suddenly.how old the person was when symptoms began.To get to the bottom of your heart flutter, contact our office in Mountain View, California, to set up an appointment.A doctor will take a detailed medical history and perform a physical examination as part of the diagnostic process. For example, medications can sometimes cause a rapid heartbeat, as well as some of the other items we’ve already discussed (caffeine, etc.) If we find nothing wrong with the rhythm of your heart, we review your symptoms to pinpoint what’s causing the heart flutter. Through advanced diagnostic tools, such as an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, and a Hotler monitor, we can often identify the source of your heart palpitation. The best way to find out whether you’re dealing with an arrhythmia is to come see us for testing. Though an atrial flutter is the most likely arrhythmia that involves a fluttering sensation, other arrhythmias that lead to tachycardia can also cause this type of heart palpitation. That said, an atrial flutter can develop for reasons unknown. With an atrial flutter, you have a rapidly firing electrical circuit in your atrium, which causes your atria to beat quickly, but can also cause your ventricles to beat faster than normal.Īn atrial flutter is often caused by previous damage to your heart, whether because of disease or surgery. This impulse then travels through your atria (the two upper chambers of your heart) and your ventricles (the two lower chambers), causing the chambers to contract in a coordinated way to push blood through your heart and lungs. This condition is the result of an arrhythmia that causes tachycardia, which is a fast heartbeat (more than 100 beats a minute).Įach beat of your heart is initiated by an electrical impulse that’s sent out from your sinus node, which is located in your right atrium. When your heart fluttersĪ fluttering sensation in your chest is a specific type of heart palpitation that may indicate an atrial flutter. The fluttering may also be a result of an irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, which is why you should pay close attention to the sensations, which can point toward different types of arrhythmias. There are many reasons why you may temporarily feel your heartbeat, such as the fright we referenced above, after a strenuous workout, or even after drinking something caffeinated. When you have a heart palpitation, however, you sense your heartbeats, which can present themselves in many ways, such as: Under normal circumstances, your heart beats about 100,000 times a day, and you’re none the wiser as this organ quietly and efficiently delivers oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to your body. Understanding heart palpitationsĪ flutter in your chest is what we call a heart palpitation, which is a heartbeat of which you’re aware. To help you discern the difference, our team of cardiology experts here at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists decided to spend some time here exploring what it might mean when your heart flutters. If you routinely experience a fluttering heart with no obvious cause, however, this could be the sign of a potentially serious arrhythmia. Something gives you a fright and your heart flutters in your chest, which is perfectly normal as adrenaline floods your body.
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