Why Your Heart Skips a Beat: When Palpitations Are a Warning Sign

You jog up a flight of stairs. Someone jumps from behind a wall and startles you. Your sweetheart surprises you with a heartfelt gift. 

In any of those situations, you might experience heart palpitations or the feeling your heart has skipped a beat. Most of the time, heart palpitations have an easy explanation and are nothing to worry about.

Sometimes, though, heart palpitations can warn of something more serious. At Heart & Vascular Institute, with six Michigan locations, our skilled providers can help you understand the difference and guide you on what to do if you’re having heart palpitations. 

‘Normal’ palpitations

First, let’s explain a typical heartbeat. Your heart is made up of chambers, atria and ventricles, connected by valves that open and close to prevent backflow. When you hear a heartbeat, the “ba-bump” is the sound of the valves opening and closing as the chambers contract and relax. 

When the contraction and relaxation of the chambers, and the opening and closing of the valves between them, aren’t typical, you experience an irregular heartbeat, or a palpitation. A palpitation can be considered normal when it results from: 

• Substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine
• Emotional stress or anxiety
• Some medications
• Certain medical conditions
• Physical exertion

Palpitations that occur rarely and can be explained by any of these factors shouldn’t be a concern. Even if you can’t pinpoint the cause and you have heart palpitations, it’s unlikely to indicate a serious problem. 

Cause for concern

Persistent heart palpitations are one of the most obvious reasons to seek medical attention. Other reasons to be concerned about heart palpitations include:

Accompanying symptoms

If you experience chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness along with heart palpitations, talk to your doctor. These additional symptoms alongside palpitations can indicate a more serious problem. 

Although heart palpitations generally are normal, they can also warn of a heart attack, especially when some of these other symptoms happen at the same time. 

No obvious reason

As we discussed, many things can cause heart palpitations, but sometimes you may feel like your heart has skipped a beat for no apparent reason. If that happens often, it can indicate a problem such as arrhythmia. 

You have a family history

If you have a family or personal history of heart problems and you experience palpitations, talk to a medical professional. 

They bother you

The bottom line is that if you have heart palpitations and they concern you, it’s a good idea to talk to an expert. 

Schedule an appointment today at one of the convenient Heart & Vascular Institute locations in Dearborn, Detroit, Southfield, Wayne, Allen Park, and Warren, Michigan.