Investigate & Manage Your Heart Palpitations
Dr Malik is a leading London specialist in investigating heart palpitations. Find out the causes of palpitations, symptoms to look out for and available treatment options.
Heart palpitation symptoms
Some people often hear their heartbeat through their ears when their head is on the pillow. These are not necessarily significant problems. However, if you are aware of an irregular heartbeat and have symptoms associated with this, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, loss of consciousness or fainting – you must get your symptoms investigated urgently. These could be signs of an underlying heart condition.
A 24-hour ECG trace showing early beats (the large spikes) that can lead to symptoms.
Is it Tachycardia or Bradycardia?
Tachycardia – when the measured heart rate is greater than 100 beats/minute
Bradycardia – when the heart rate is less than 60 beats/minute
If the heart rate is too slow or fast, you may experience tiredness or chest discomfort rather than palpitations. Palpitations are often set off by anxiety and made worse by stimulants. Reducing caffeine intake and alcohol intake may help whilst the specific diagnosis is made.
Drug treatment is best avoided until a firm diagnosis is made.
Investigating & diagnosing heart palpitations
Our cardiologist specialist Dr Malik will start by taking a detailed history from you and perform an examination.
After the examination, he’ll likely order the following tests to define the symptoms:
- ECG
- 24/48 hours Holter monitor
- Echocardiogram
- Longer-term monitoring, including event recorders or an implantable loop recorder or LINq device (for more infrequent symptoms) See ILR device for more details.
- Blood tests- to exclude thyroid disease and other problems
Treatments
The treatment you need is entirely dependent on the cause of your palpitations.
This could be:
- Lifestyle changes
- Reducing caffeine or alcohol intake
- Managing stress through relaxation techniques and/or therapy
- Staying well-hydrated
- Getting regular sleep
- Avoiding over-the-counter medications that could trigger or worsen palpitations
- Medical therapy
- Beta-blockers
- Blood thinners, such as warfarin, but only if you have atrial fibrillation (AF)
- Anti-arrhythmic drugs
- Ablation – a procedure that destroys the tissue which is causing the irregularity
- Implantable devices
- Cardioversion
Dr Malik will create a personalised treatment plan for you depending on your diagnosis, age, risk factors and medical history.
He takes a warm, caring approach to his patients, carefully answering questions in simple terms and alleviating concerns, so you can feel confident you’re in safe hands. With his decades of experience working as a cardiologist, you’ll soon get the quality of your life back.
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Book your consultation today
Just give us a call, e-mail or fill out our simple contact form to arrange your consultation with Dr Malik. He’ll carry out a thorough diagnosis of your palpitations, so you can get the answers and treatment you need.
Choose a private cardiology clinic where your appointments work around you. 