Onlymyhealth on MSN: Heart palpitations after eating: Causes, trigger foods, and when to worry Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TAY-shuns) are feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart. Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they're usually harmless.

Understanding the Context

Rarely, heart palpitations can be a symptom of a more serious heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), that might ... Unless the palpitations are caused by a heart condition, heart palpitations rarely require treatment. Instead, a health care provider might recommend taking steps to avoid the triggers that cause palpitations. If palpitations are caused by a heart condition, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), treatment will focus on correcting the condition.

Key Insights

When to seek medical advice See your doctor if you experience the feeling of a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). Heart palpitations that occur without other symptoms don't often present a significant health risk. Get emergency medical care if heart palpitations are accompanied by: Chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting ... Others for whom a blackout can be a warning sign of a serious heart problem include people with a family history of inherited heart problems, unexplained deaths or premature sudden deaths; people whose fainting is related to exercise; and people whose fainting is associated with heart palpitations or the heart feeling like it's racing away, he ... The August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter discussed various types of heart sensations or palpitations, which are the most common reason people seek medical care for heart issues.

Final Thoughts

In most cases, palpitations don’t signal a larger problem. But sometimes they do, and medical professionals can help you sort out the cause and severity. This article was reviewed by Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA. Heart palpitations after eating? You’re not alone. These brief episodes of heart racing, pounding, or fluttering can happen for ...

Newsweek: When To Worry About Heart Palpitations After Eating—What You Need To Know