Why does heart beat fast

Racing heart rates can be scary. You may feel your heart is pumping faster or harder than usual. In some instances, you may notice skipped or fluttering heartbeats. Fortunately, it is usually nothing to worry about. But, in some cases, it can be due to an underlying health condition. Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in one minute, and it differs from person to person. For adults, a normal resting heart rate is about 60 — beats per minute. A fast heart rate is defined as a heart rate with over beats per minute.

When your heart beats too quickly, it is a condition called tachycardia. Conversely, when your heart rate is too slow, it's called bradycardia. Bradycardia is generally defined as having a resting heart rate that's less than 60 beats per minute. There are many different types of tachycardia.

Their classification is based on their cause and the part of the heart they affect. If it begins in the ventricles the lower chamber of the heart , it is called ventricular tachycardia. If it starts above the ventricles, it is called supraventricular tachycardia. While it may cause worry, experiencing tachycardia may be temporary.

Tachycardia may be a reaction to the processes or chemicals in the body, such as stressful emotions, exercises, certain drugs, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

These symptoms can be felt in your chest, throat or neck. Hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy, is also a common cause of tachycardia. An abnormal heart rhythm may also be dangerous, even if the heart rate is within the normal range. Patients who experience frequent skipped heartbeats or irregular heartbeats- should also undergo further tests.

Most causes of a rapid heartbeat are not dangerous. A faster than usual heartbeat accompanied by worrisome symptoms, can indicate an underlying health problem such as cardiovascular disease , dehydration, anaemia , electrolyte imbalance, or hyperthyroidism.

If you notice that your heart is racing a lot and it happens when you're not exercising or stressed, do consult a doctor as soon as possible. To diagnose your condition and determine the type of tachycardia, your doctor will evaluate your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and ask you about your health habits, lifestyle and medical history. To help diagnose your condition, your doctor may use a variety of diagnostic procedures such as an electrocardiogram ECG , echocardiogram , magnetic resonance imaging MRI , computerised tomography CT and coronary angiogram.

Doctors may also arrange for a longer period of heart rhythm monitoring often between 24 hours to 1 week to look for any abnormal heart rhythms that may be causing the palpitations. An ECG is the most common test that will be conducted. It makes use of small electrodes to record your heart's electrical activity and can detect abnormalities in the heart. Structural abnormalities can be picked up by through cardiac imaging tests such as an echocardiogram, MRI, CT scans, coronary angiogram and chest X-ray.

These imaging tests are the only way to tell if you've had a silent heart attack, a heart attack that occurs without apparent symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath. Your doctor may also order laboratory tests to check if your condition is caused by an imbalance in electrolyte or hormones. Seek immediate medical help if you experience a fast heartbeat accompanied by fainting, shortness of breath, dizziness and chest pain.

These could be signs of serious heart disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. Delay in getting treatment can result in severe complications and permanent damage. When your heart beats faster than normal, it's working too hard.

It doesn't have enough time to fill up its chambers with blood or pump it to the rest of your body, and this is a matter of concern. It doesn't matter how healthy you are; if your heart doesn't feel right for you, it's worth getting a regular heart screening. Should I worry about my fast pulse?

Harvard Heart Letter. Tachycardia: Fast Heart Rate. American Heart Association. Silent heart attack: What are the risks? Can you? An irregular heartbeat is common and can be harmless, but it may also signal a more serious heart problem. Even though most racing heartbeats are caused by common situations like stress or fevers , some irregular heartbeats are caused by serious heart conditions like atrial fibrillation.

People who have these conditions need monitoring and treatment from a cardiologist heart doctor. Normal hearts beat 60— times every minute. Fast heartbeats can last for seconds to hours. Not all cases of a racing heartbeat are dangerous. These can include the following:. If you notice that your heart is beating faster than normal, look for obvious explanations first:.

You can also try keeping a diary of your symptoms and write down what you were doing before you started to notice your heart was beating fast. Sometimes a fast or irregular heartbeat can be a sign of a serious heart condition. These conditions include the following:. Atrial fibrillation is one of several heart conditions that can cause an irregular heartbeat.

People with A-Fib have electrical signaling problems in the upper part of their heart. Atrial fibrillation is a serious condition that can be life-threatening.

As many as six million people in the US may have atrial fibrillation. Stress and a rapid heart rate tend to go hand-in-hand. As such, reducing your stress levels as much as possible can help lower your heart rate. It can also lower your risk of high blood pressure and other stress-related health issues.

There are a number of effective strategies for reducing stress. Some include:. Regular exercise is important for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The American Heart Association recommends minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly.

In fact, brisk walks have a host of health benefits, including weight loss, lower blood pressure, and improved cardiovascular health. In many cases of heart palpitations, no treatment is necessary. You may find it helpful to write down when you experience palpitations to see if you can identify a trigger.

Keeping a log may also be useful if you experience more palpitations over time. You can take this information to your doctor at future appointments.

If your doctor identifies a cause of your palpitations, they may recommend treatment. For example, if your diagnostic tests uncover that you have heart disease, your doctor will move forward with a treatment plan in that area. Treatment options for heart disease may include medications , surgery, or implantation of a device like a pacemaker.

Talk with your doctor if you notice your heart rate is faster than normal. Doctors cannot always pinpoint the cause of heart palpitations.

They will need to rule out heart rhythm disorders like tachycardia and other medical conditions like hyperthyroidism. Speak with your doctor if you have palpitations with any other symptoms or if you have other concerns about your health. It may be difficult to find the cause of your palpitations. Your doctor may order further tests or refer to you to a cardiologist. Tests for heart palpitations may include an electrocardiogram ECG or EKG , which shows the electrical activity of your heart.

You may also have an echocardiogram , which is an ultrasound test that helps your doctor visualize the different parts of your heart. Other options include a stress test , chest X-ray , and ambulatory cardiac monitor test. In some cases, your doctor may also want to run more invasive tests, like an electrophysiology study or cardiac catheterization. Most cases of heart palpitations are not considered serious unless you have underlying heart disease.

Avoiding triggers of heart palpitations may help reduce or eliminate your symptoms. The American Heart Association explains that there are seven things you can do to protect yourself from heart disease. Learn more: 28 healthy heart tips. Heart palpitations are usually temporary and harmless sensations, but it's important know know when they could point to a more serious problem.

Learn more about the causes of heart palpitations and whether or not acid reflux is likely to be a cause. Heart palpitations at night are typically not harmful, but sometimes they are signs of an underlying condition that should be medically treated. Many pregnant women experience heart palpitations because of their increased heart rate.

A heart palpitation is the sensation that your heart has skipped a beat or added an extra beat. It may feel like your heart is racing, pounding, or…. What is sinus rhythm? Ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heart rate that starts with abnormal electrical signals in the lower chambers of the heart ventricles. The rapid heart rate doesn't allow the ventricles to fill and contract efficiently to pump enough blood to the body.

Ventricular tachycardia episodes may be brief and last only a couple of seconds without causing harm. But episodes lasting more than a few seconds can become a life-threatening medical emergency. Ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation occurs when rapid, chaotic electrical impulses cause the lower heart chambers ventricles to quiver instead of pumping necessary blood to the body. This can be deadly if the heart isn't restored to a normal rhythm within minutes with an electric shock to the heart defibrillation.

Ventricular fibrillation may occur during or after a heart attack. Most people who have ventricular fibrillation have an underlying heart disease or have experienced serious trauma, such as being struck by lightning. Mayo Clinic electrophysiologist Fred Kusumoto, M. When your heart is beating too fast, it may not pump enough blood to the rest of your body.

This can starve your organs and tissues of oxygen and can cause the following tachycardia-related signs and symptoms:. Some people with tachycardia have no symptoms, and the condition is only discovered during a physical examination or with a heart-monitoring test called an electrocardiogram.

A number of conditions can cause a rapid heart rate and tachycardia symptoms. It's important to get a prompt, accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. See your doctor if you or your child has any tachycardia symptoms.

If you faint, have difficulty breathing or have chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, get emergency care, or call or your local emergency number. Seek emergency care for anyone experiencing these symptoms. Tachycardia is caused by something that disrupts the normal electrical impulses that control the rate of your heart's pumping action.

Many things can cause or contribute to a fast heart rate. These include:. In a typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal. The signal then travels through the atria to the atrioventricular AV node and into the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump blood.

To understand the causes of heart rate or rhythm problems such as tachycardia, it helps to understand how the heart's electrical system works.