Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations) Quiz
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Heart palpitations
Off-balance like floating
Shortness of breath
Have chest pain
Heart is beating fast and regularly
Irregular palpitations
Irregular heartbeat
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)?
Arrhythmias are issues with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat, where it might beat too slowly, too fast, or with an irregular pattern. Benign arrhythmias are heartbeat irregularities that do not cause any symptoms. Causes include certain medications, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, inhaled aerosols, diet pills, stress, etc.
Typical Symptoms of Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)
- Irregular heartbeat
- Pounding, rapid or fluttering heartbeat related to breathing
- Difficulty breathing
- Heart pounding
- Pounding, rapid or fluttering heartbeat when working
- Chest pain
- Abnormal heartbeat after drinking tea or coffee
- Irregular heart pounding
Diagnostic Questions for Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Have you been experiencing an irregular heartbeat?
- Are the palpitations related to your breathing?
- Are you experiencing difficulty breathing?
- Is your heart pounding?
- Do you experience more palpitations while working?
Treatment of Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)
Since it is asymptomatic, benign arrhythmias are usually monitored by a doctor without active treatment. Medications and other treatments may be needed for symptomatic arrhythmias.
Reviewed By:
Osler Jay Justo Guzon, MD (Cardiology)
Dr. Guzon graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine with a BLA and MD. He then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at St. Louis University before a fellowship in Cardiovascular Diseases at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has since working as an invasive cardiologist with a particular interest in preventative medicine and cardiometabolic disease. Over the past several years, Dr. Guzon has served on the speaker bureaus of AstraZeneca, Lilly, Boehringer-Ingelheim, and Aralez.
Tatsuya Shiraishi, MD (Cardiology)
Dr. Shiraishi graduated from the Kyoto University School of Medicine. He worked as a cardiologist at Edogawa Hospital, and after joining Ubie, he became the Director of East Nihonbashi Internal Medicine Clinic.
Content updated on Feb 13, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- I have heart arrhythmia
- Pulse feels irregular
- Signs of arrhythmia
- Shortness of breath when lying down
- Breathing out is easy but breathing in is difficult
- Irregular heartbeat while resting
- Wake up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath
- Feeling that I am suffocating and will die from the breathlessness
- Shortness of breath in the morning
- My heart races when I exercise
- Short of breath because of rapid breathing
- Palpitation when breathing in
- Shallow breathing
- Breathing in is easy and breathing out is difficult
- Heart beating fast with high blood pressure
See full list
Symptoms Related to Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)
Diseases Related to Benign Arrhythmias (Palpitations)
FAQs
Q.
Heart Pounding? Why Verapamil Works & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Verapamil calms certain fast or irregular heart rhythms by limiting calcium entry in heart cells and slowing the AV node, easing palpitations from SVT, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter. There are several factors to consider, including who should not take it, possible side effects, and symptoms that require urgent care. Medically approved next steps include tracking episodes, addressing triggers, and getting ECG or heart monitoring to guide choices like beta blockers, verapamil, or ablation. See below for critical details that could change your safest next step.
References:
* Kasiyire, R., Löffler, L., Seiffarth, J., Steimle, A., von Kleist, M., Scholl, C., Schiroli, D., von Ungern-Sternberg, L., Maier, L., & Seidl, J. (2020). Pharmacology of Calcium Channel Blockers in Cardiovascular Disease. *International Journal of Molecular Sciences*, *21*(3), 830.
* Tan, N., Ma, C., Cao, Y., Xiong, L., Wei, L., & Wang, N. (2015). Calcium channel blockers for supraventricular tachycardia. *Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews*, *(10)*, CD005051.
* O'Connor, M. J., Kumar, S., & Tedrow, U. B. (2017). Current pharmacological management of supraventricular tachycardias. *Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy*, *18*(10), 1017-1027.
* Knuuti, J., Wijns, W., Saraste, A., Capodanno, D., Barbato, E., Funck-Brentano, C., Prescott, E., Storey, R. F., Deaton, D., Cuisset, C., Agewall, R., Dickstein, K., Edvardsen, T., Erglis, K. S., Fonseca, C., Gardner, R. S., Herbst, M., Kjeldsen, K. P. J., Lancellotti, P., ... Zamorano, J. L. (2017). 2017 ESC Guidelines for the management of stable coronary artery disease. *Circulation*, *135*(18), 1759-1772.
* Maron, B. J., & Maron, M. S. (2015). Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. *Journal of the American College of Cardiology*, *66*(22), 2474-2488.
Q.
Heart Racing? Why Your Chest Is Fluttering & Vital Medical Next Steps
A.
Most heart racing and chest fluttering are benign palpitations from stress, caffeine, dehydration, poor sleep, or hormonal shifts, but they can also signal arrhythmias or issues like thyroid disease, anemia, or electrolyte problems; seek urgent care if they occur with chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or severe dizziness. There are several factors to consider; see below for practical first steps to calm symptoms, what patterns to track, when to schedule evaluation, the specific red flags, and how doctors diagnose and treat palpitations so you can choose the right next step.
References:
* Singh D, Singh H, Singh T, Singhal M, Singhal K, Sharma C, Bhatt S. Palpitations: Etiology, Diagnostic Approach, and Management. Cureus. 2023 Mar 19;15(3):e36338. doi: 10.7759/cureus.36338. PMID: 37089750; PMCID: PMC10115049.
* Al-Majali R, Al-Tamimi M, Al-Maitah M, Abu-Rumman A, Qasem H, Abusaq H. The Diagnostic Approach to Patients Presenting with Palpitations. Cureus. 2023 May 17;15(5):e38883. doi: 10.7759/cureus.38883. PMID: 37333036; PMCID: PMC10271705.
* Zimetbaum PJ. Palpitations: Evaluation and Management. J Clin Electrophysiol. 2020 Jan;31(1):5-10. doi: 10.1007/s10840-019-00627-w. Epub 2019 Sep 30. PMID: 31571171.
* Al-Ani M, Al-Ani M. Diagnosis and Management of Supraventricular Tachycardia. Cureus. 2023 Apr 15;15(4):e37637. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37637. PMID: 37197486; PMCID: PMC10189382.
* Kotecha D, Witte KK. Atrial Fibrillation: Clinical Presentation, Diagnostic Tests, and Prognosis. Heart Lung Circ. 2017 Jan;26(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2016.07.009. Epub 2016 Sep 2. PMID: 27599763.
Q.
Heart Racing? Why Your Human Heart Is Fluttering & Approved Next Steps
A.
Heart racing or fluttering is common and often harmless in the human heart, frequently triggered by stress, caffeine, dehydration, poor sleep, hormones, or normal exercise, but it can also indicate arrhythmias or other problems, especially if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, severe dizziness, or heart disease risk factors. Approved next steps include staying calm, drinking water, avoiding stimulants, using slow breathing, tracking triggers, and seeking urgent care for red flags or medical evaluation if episodes persist. There are several factors and nuances that could change your next step, so see the complete guidance below.
References:
* Ravindran N, et al. Palpitations: Evaluation and Management. Aust J Gen Pract. 2017 Jun;46(6):374-378. PMID: 28558486.
* Probst C, et al. Palpitations: an approach to diagnosis and management. BMJ. 2017 Nov 22;359:j5102. doi: 10.1136/bmj.j5102. PMID: 29162985.
* Al-Zaiti SS, et al. Supraventricular Tachycardia. 2023 Jul 24. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 30521287.
* Gopinathannair R, et al. 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023 Oct 3;82(14):e1-e209. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2023.04.018. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PMID: 37684019.
* Katon W. Cardiovascular manifestations of anxiety and panic attacks: a clinical review. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2005;7(3):96-102. doi: 10.4088/pcc.v07n0302. PMID: 16013693.
Q.
Heart Racing? Why Your Heart is Fluttering from Dark Chocolate & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Dark chocolate can trigger heart fluttering in sensitive people because of caffeine, theobromine, and sometimes sugar, and in most cases the sensation is brief and harmless. There are several factors to consider, like your total stimulant intake, dehydration, anxiety, thyroid or rhythm disorders, medications, and hormonal shifts; see below to understand more. Medically approved next steps include cutting back on stimulants, logging what you ate and felt, hydrating and easing stress, and seeking care if palpitations are frequent, last over 20 to 30 minutes, or occur with chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or marked dizziness, with full guidance provided below.
References:
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29997782/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31326084/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24707719/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30761274/
* pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33731301/
Q.
Heart Fluttering? Why It’s Not Just Stress & Medically Proven EKG Next Steps
A.
Heart fluttering is often from benign palpitations due to stress, caffeine, dehydration, or poor sleep, but it can also signal arrhythmias like AFib or SVT that need evaluation. There are several factors to consider. A quick, painless EKG is the medically proven first step, with Holter or event monitors, wearables, blood tests, or an echocardiogram if symptoms persist; seek urgent care for chest pain, fainting, severe shortness of breath, or prolonged rapid heartbeats. See below for important details that can guide your next steps.
References:
* Pergolini, M., Iacopini, R., Pergolini, A., & Pergolini, P. (2022). Diagnostic Approach to Palpitations in Clinical Practice. *Journal of Clinical Medicine*, *11*(20), 6061.
* De Lorenzo, C., Iannone, F., D'Ettorre, S., Ciolli, A., D'Ovidio, R., & Cadeddu, C. (2023). The Assessment of Palpitations in Emergency Department Settings. *Journal of Clinical Medicine*, *12*(14), 4796.
* Katrancha, E. D., & Toth, P. P. (2021). Palpitations: Approach to Diagnosis and Management. *American Family Physician*, *103*(4), 226-234.
* Zimetbaum, P. J. (2018). Palpitations. *Medical Clinics of North America*, *102*(1), 57-69.
* Kalavakolanu, S., Bheemanathini, K., Kollipara, D., Saripalli, A., & Kalavakolanu, S. L. (2018). Ambulatory ECG monitoring in patients with palpitations. *Indian Heart Journal*, *70*(5), 713-718.
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https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Hannun, A. Y., Rajpurkar, P., Haghpanahi, M., Tison, G. H., ... (2019). Cardiologist-level arrhythmia detection and classification in ambulatory electrocardiograms using a deep neural network. Nature Medicine.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-018-0268-3Priori, S. G., Wilde, A. A., Horie, M., Cho, Y., Behr, E. R., ... (2014). HRS/EHRA/APHRS expert consensus statement on the diagnosis and management of patients with inherited primary arrhythmia syndromes. Journal of Arrhythmia.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1880427613001087Huizar, J. F., Ellenbogen, K. A., Tan, A. Y., & Kaszala, K. (2019). Arrhythmia-Induced Cardiomyopathy: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. Journal of the American.
https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2019.02.045