All rights reserved. If you identify a substance that’s causing palpitations or sensitivities, remove it from your diet to stop palpitations. They can last for a few seconds or several minutes.Heart palpitations can be frightening, especially when experienced for the first time. A heavy feeling in the chest can have a range of causes, from anxiety or depression to problems with the heart or lungs. You may also feel that your heart is producing heavy, pounding beats. A person may experience these sensations in the throat or the neck. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. However, they are usually nothing to worry about.A heart palpitation happens when someone suddenly feels one or more heartbeats. To see what your friends thought of this quote, please sign up! These tests can be used to help identify a cause for heart palpitations:Treatment for heart palpitations depends on the cause. All rights reserved. A person will usually walk and run on a treadmill or ride a stationary bicycle while the heart rate and rhythm are monitored.This test uses sound waves to create an image of the heart’s size, structure, and motions.Treatment will depend on the cause of the palpitations. The heart has four chambers that are attached by one-way valves.A heartbeat is a pumping action that takes about 1 second and happens in two parts:Below is an interactive animation of a normal heartbeat.Explore the animation with your mouse pad or touchscreen.The heart skipping a beat can be the result of a number of factors, including:Strenuous exercise, not getting enough sleep, or drinking too much caffeine or alcohol can all lead to heart palpitations.Smoking tobacco, using illicit drugs such as cocaine, or eating rich or spicy foods can also cause the heart to skip a beat.A number of medicines can trigger heart palpitations. If they suspect something might be causing these symptoms, they’ll order tests. Because the heart pumps blood automatically, people are usually unaware of individual beats.This pumping allows the blood to circulate throughout the body, delivering oxygen and other essential components. If you feel like your heart has suddenly skipped a beat, it may mean you’ve had a heart palpitation.