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. Rarely, heart palpitations can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), that might require treatment.

Heart palpitations can feel like the heart is:

• Beating too fast
• Flip-flopping
• Fluttering rapidly
• Pounding
• Skipping beats

Heart palpitations may be felt in the throat or neck as well as the chest. They can occur during activity or at rest.

Palpitations that are infrequent and last only a few seconds usually don’t need to be evaluated. If you have a history of heart disease and have palpitations that occur frequently or worsen, talk to your health care provider. You may need heart-monitoring tests to see if the palpitations are caused by a more serious heart problem.

Seek emergency medical attention if heart palpitations occur with:

• Chest discomfort or pain
• Fainting
• Severe shortness of breath
• Severe dizziness