Introduction

Heart palpitations are heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable.

Your heart may feel like it's pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for just a few seconds or minutes.You may also feel these sensations in your throat or neck.

Palpitations may seemalarming, but in most cases they're harmless and aren't a sign of a serious problem.

Sometimes you may feel an extra or missed beat. These are known as ectopic beats andare also usuallynothing to worry about.

This page summarises some of the possible causes of palpitations and suggests when to see your GP and when to get emergency help .

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 2 Nov 2016