5 Common Causes of Heart Palpitations (and When to See a Doctor)

Most of the time, your heart beats away in your chest without you thinking about it. You’ll occasionally tune in, though — particularly if something seems out of the ordinary. 

If you’re having heart palpitations, you’re probably keenly aware of your racing, fluttery heartbeat. Beyond that, you might be wondering why you’re experiencing this irregularity. As a specialist in palpitations, David Bolon, MD, can help you discover what’s behind your racing heartbeat. If you get heart palpitations regularly, don’t wait to visit us at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City.

Dr. Bolon generally starts by looking for these common causes of heart palpitations.

#1: Stress and anxiety

Your emotions impact your physical body. When you’re feeling tense or worried, it can trigger your autonomic nervous system, making your heart race. 

When you experience heart palpitations, check in on your mental state. If you’re anxious, overly stressed, angry, or experiencing another intense emotion, your fluttery heartbeat might just be a response to your current mood.

#2: Stimulants

Consuming a lot of stimulants increases your heart rate and contributes to heart palpitations. Some of the most significant stimulants to blame include:

• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Cold medications with pseudoephedrine 
• Amphetamines
• Cocaine

Long story short, that extra cup of coffee could be behind your heart palpitations. 

#3: Medications

We already mentioned that certain cold medications could contribute to a racing heartbeat, but that’s not the only medication to blame. Everything from asthma medication to certain herbal supplements can trigger heart palpitations. 

Talk with Dr. Bolon about any medication or supplements you take so he can see if any play a contributing role. 

#4: Exercise

Strenuous physical activity strengthens your heart, but it does this by challenging it. It's normal to feel your heart pounding when you’re getting in a hard workout. 

Keep an eye on your level of strain, though. If you get lightheaded or nauseous, it’s time to let off the gas. 

#5: Hormones

Your hormones play a huge role in regulating things throughout your body, so it’s no surprise that it can affect your heart when something is amiss hormonally.

You might get heart palpitations because you have too much or too little thyroid hormone, for example. If you’re a woman, you might also get them because of the hormonal changes that occur with your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause.

When to see a doctor

If you’re having heart palpitations after an extra cup of coffee or finding yourself in an extremely frustrating situation, it’s nothing to worry about. 

If you repeatedly get palpitations, though, it’s worth talking to Dr. Bolon. Specifically, you should make an appointment if you:

• Get palpitations regularly
• Have palpitations that last more than a few seconds
• Feel faint, dizzy, or otherwise uncomfortable during or after them
• Have chest tightness or pain
• Experience shortness of breath or sweating, and you’re not exercising

Call (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online to get the dedicated care your heart needs.