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Heart palpitations: causes and when to worry

Feeling your heart race or skip is common and usually harmless, but some patterns need checking.

Common causes

  • 01Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or stress
  • 02Poor sleep
  • 03Anaemia
  • 04Overactive thyroid
  • 05Heart rhythm disorders

What a doctor may check

An ECG, thyroid test and blood count are typical.

When to see a doctor

Get emergency care if palpitations come with chest pain, fainting or breathlessness, or if someone in your family died suddenly at a young age.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Venva's content is written against clinical guidelines and systematic reviews, listed below. See our medical disclaimer.

References

  1. 1.Iron-deficiency anemia. New England Journal of Medicine, 2015.doi:10.1056/NEJMra1401038

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