I Have Periodic Heart Palpitations at Rest: Should I See a Doctor?

Your heart is continually working to circulate blood through your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients so that you can keep functioning at your best. Because your heart never gets a moment’s rest, it might occasionally beat outside of its normal cadence. In fact, most people will experience heart palpitations at some point. 

If the heart palpitations pass or you can trace them back to a specific cause like caffeine or exercise, you don’t need to worry about them. 

But if you keep getting palpitations, it’s time to visit David Bolon, MD, and our team at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City. As an expert in palpitations, Dr. Bolon can help you determine what’s behind that irregular heartbeat. Most pressingly, if it’s a serious cardiovascular health concern, he helps you address it. 

In many cases, though, heart palpitations aren’t anything to worry about. 

Factors that can cause heart palpitations

The trick to determining when heart palpitations are a cause for concern hinges on knowing what’s causing that fluttering heartbeat. If you can trace the palpitation back to an innocuous cause, it’s nothing to worry about. 

Some of the more common causes include:

• Caffeine
• Strenuous exercise
• Stress
• Alcohol
• Medications (e.g., cough medicines, asthma inhalers)
• Dehydration
• Nicotine
• Lack of sleep

For example, if you just felt a heart palpitation after having a big cup of coffee, it’s probably nothing to worry about.  

Monitor your palpitations, though. If they only last a few seconds and only pop up occasionally, they’re probably not a cause for concern. But if you keep experiencing palpitations — particularly if they’re worsening — it’s time to see Dr. Bolon.

When to see a doctor

Persistent and worsening palpitations are worth scheduling an appointment. You should also come to see our team if your palpitations last more than a few seconds or come with other symptoms like:

• Chest pain or tightness
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating not related to physical activity
• Fainting

Here at our office, Dr. Bolon determines the cause of your palpitations. He may use a painless tool like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or echocardiogram to examine your heart and evaluate its activity. With these options, Dr. Bolon can better identify the root cause of your palpitations. 

They could stem from a heart-related condition like arrhythmia or a different health condition like anemia. 

Dr. Bolon works with you to determine what’s causing the palpitations and, just as importantly, how to address any underlying condition. As an expert in cardiovascular health, he develops a plan to help you protect your heart.  

Don’t wait to get the care your cardiovascular system needs. If you’re experiencing persistent heart palpitations, call our office at (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online today.