Skipping a beat
Q I keep getting heart palpitations at random times of the day, should I be concerned about it? Susan, Bedford
A Heart palpitations, which are an awareness of your heartbeat, can be normal and can happen even if your heart is healthy.
They are often caused by abnormal heart electrical pathways, heart muscle disease, an electrolyte imbalance in your blood, medications (certain antibiotics, anti-depressants, stimulant treatment for ADHD, for example), or lifestyle choices such as alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, recreational drug misuse, acid reflux and exercise, too.
So more often than not, it is nothing to worry about.
However, palpitations can also be a sign of a heart arrhythmia, which means your heart is out of its usual rhythm and can be serious if ignored and untreated.
If…
