PALPITATION

Course overview

PALPITATIONS ARE DEFINED AS RAPID PULSATIONS OR ABNORMALLY RAPID OR IRREGULAR BEATING OF THE HEART. THEY ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE PERCEPTION OF A SKIPPED BEAT, RAPID FLUTTERING IN THE CHEST, POUNDING SENSATION IN THE CHEST OR NECK, OR A FLIP-FLOPPING IN THE CHEST. PALPITATIONS ARE COMMON, NONSPECIFIC AND CAN BE A SYMPTOM OR A DIAGNOSIS. WHILE THE CAUSE OF PALPITATIONS IS USUALLY BENIGN, THERE ARE UNDERLYING LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS THAT MAY PRESENT WITH PALPITATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PALPITATIONS AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THOSE WITH THIS CONDITION.