Is it normal to have occasional irregular heartbeat

Learn more. A palpitation — a skipped, extra or irregular heartbeat — is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. It occurs when an electrical signal fires from the wrong place at the wrong time, causing the heart to beat out of rhythm.

Many people are unaware of minor irregular heartbeats, and even completely healthy people have extra or skipped heartbeats once in a while. Palpitations are more common as you age. Usually, these occasional arrhythmias are nothing to worry about. Often, arrhythmias are harmless; however, if you feel a persistent irregular heartbeat, see a doctor.

A PVC happens when the heart beats too early, which causes a stronger second beat. This causes a fluttering or pounding sensation in the chest. Things like caffeine, alcohol and stress can cause small, temporary arrhythmias like PVCs. But there are factors that can cause permanent arrhythmias, too. Here are four potential causes of a persistent, irregular heartbeat:. While PVCs are normally harmless, certain types of arrhythmias, like atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation VFib , can lead to cardiac arrest and heart attack.

VFib can paralyze the heart—making it unable to pump blood. If left untreated, VFib can lead to cardiac arrest. If you feel a persistent irregular heartbeat, your doctor can help diagnose the type of arrhythmia and monitor your heart. Overview Typical heartbeat Open pop-up dialog box Close. Typical heartbeat In a typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal.

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