14. Palpitations (Fast or Irregular Heartbeat)
Palpitations are the uncomfortable feeling of being aware of your own heartbeat. In heart failure, the heart may beat too fast, too hard, or irregularly. Patients may describe it as fluttering, pounding, or feeling like the heart is “skipping beats.”
This happens because the weakened heart tries to compensate for its poor pumping ability by beating faster or irregularly. Sometimes, electrical disturbances in the heart (arrhythmias) also cause palpitations. These can range from harmless to life-threatening.
For example, Kelvi, a 55-year-old office worker, often felt her heart racing while at work. She assumed it was stress and ignored it. But one day, her palpitations became so strong that she felt dizzy and fainted. At the hospital, doctors found she had heart failure with arrhythmia. With medications and lifestyle changes, her palpitations reduced, and she was monitored regularly.
Palpitations may seem harmless, but they should never be ignored in people with heart failure or risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes. Sometimes, they can indicate dangerous rhythms that require urgent treatment. If palpitations are accompanied by chest pain, fainting, or breathlessness, immediate medical help is needed.