Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TAY-shuns) are feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart. Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless.

When should I be worried about heart palpitations?

If your palpitations are accompanied by dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, or chest pain, you should seek medical attention. “Palpitations can be caused by a wide range of abnormal heart rhythms.

Do heart palpitations cause damage?

What are the health risks of experiencing heart palpitations? The irregularity of the heart rhythm per se usually does no damage to the heart itself. Patients with a very rapid heart over a long period of time do run a risk of developing enlargement and failure of the heart.