Cardiac arrhythmia: Heart palpitations and other symptoms
Arrhythmia can produce a wide range of symptoms including palpitations, sensations of skipped beats or rapid forceful beats, dyspnea, chest pain or discomfort, syncope, fatigue, dizziness, and lightheadedness.
In bradycardia, the heart is unable to meet the body’s blood needs. This may cause fatigue, dizziness, syncope, lightheadedness, or cardiac arrest.
In tachycardia, the ventricles’ ability to pump blood efficiently to the body is compromised. This may cause palpitations, dyspnea, chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, and syncope.
In bradycardia, the heart is unable to meet the body’s blood needs. This may cause fatigue, dizziness, syncope, lightheadedness, or cardiac arrest.
In tachycardia, the ventricles’ ability to pump blood efficiently to the body is compromised. This may cause palpitations, dyspnea, chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, and syncope.
Review Date: 4/9/2024
Reviewed By: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.