What are Palpitations? 

Palpitations make you feel like your heart is beating too hard or fast, skipping a beat, or fluttering. You could feel these in your chest, throat or neck.

What causes Palpitations? 

Whilst they aren’t usually serious or harmful, they can be bothersome or sometimes frightening. They also aren’t usually serious and are usually caused by stress and anxiety, or because you’ve had too much caffeine, nicotine or alcohol.

In rare cases, palpitations can be a sign of something more serious. If you do have heart palpitations it is important to see your doctor, especially if the come with the following symptoms:

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Chest pain
• Fainting

Dr Butcher will be able to talk to you about your symptoms, your lifestyle and may need to complete a cardiovascular health screening.

For palpitations, the investigations we can carry out include:

• ECG
• Echocardiography
• Holter monitor
• Event recorder
• EP study