Common Sensations
Many adults experience brief rhythm changes that aren’t necessarily serious, but it’s important to know what to flag as a potential concern.
Palpitations or Skipped Beats
This may feel like your heart missed a beat, but it is often an extra beat happening early, followed by a brief pause.
Fluttering
A sensation similar to “butterflies” or “flopping” in the chest is often caused by several extra or skipped beats occurring in a row.
Racing Heart (Tachycardia)
When the heart beats too fast (usually over 100 beats per minute), it doesn’t have enough time to fill with blood properly. This can cause shortness of breath or chest pain.
Slow Heartbeat (Bradycardia)
A heart rate below 60 beats per minute may not pump enough oxygen to the body, leading to fatigue, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
Warning Signs—Time to Call Your Doctor
Some symptoms are direct indicators that your heart rhythm is affecting your circulation and brain. These should be evaluated by your care team as soon as possible.
Dizziness and Lightheadedness
Feeling “woozy” or unsteady is a common sign for both fast and slow heart rhythms.
Near-Fainting (Presyncope)
Before actually passing out, you might experience blurred or “tunnel” vision, sweating, nausea, or sudden confusion.
Fainting (Syncope)
Fainting caused by a heart rhythm disorder often happens suddenly and without warning. Any sudden loss of consciousness should be evaluated by a doctor immediately.
In rare cases, fainting may be caused by ventricular fibrillation (VF), the most dangerous arrhythmia. VF is the number one cause of sudden cardiac death and requires immediate treatment.