Palpitation
Experiencing palpitations? They're often felt as a fluttering sensation in the chest, sometimes accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or even fainting spells. While palpitations are frequently due to ectopic beats, they might signify an underlying arrhythmia, especially if they occur recurrently or persistently, warranting prompt investigation.
Investigating palpitations
Patients experiencing palpitations often require further evaluation to assess both slow (bradyarrhythmia) or fast (tachyarrhythmia) abnormal heart rhythms and to rule out structural heart disease, including:
- Blood tests, including thyroid function tests
- 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Echocardiogram
- 24-hour to 7-day ECG Holter monitoring
- Event recorders
- Implantable loop recorders
Managing arrhythmias
If an arrhythmia diagnosis is confirmed, medical treatment with drugs like beta-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, or antiarrhythmics may be necessary. For certain arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, consideration of formal blood thinners such as Warfarin or Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) may be needed. Selected patients might benefit from invasive procedures like catheter ablation.
