What it means
A symptom the client reports, usually in the plural: "I'm having palpitations." The heart may feel like it is beating too fast, too hard or out of rhythm. It can come from an arrhythmiauh-RITH-mee-uhA heart rhythm that is not normal: too fast, too slow or irregular.a- withoutrhythm regular beat-ia conditionFull entry such as atrial fibrillationAY-tree-ul fib-rih-LAY-shunAn irregular heart rhythm in which the upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating in an organized way.atri/o atrium (upper heart chamber)fibrill/o small fibers, quivering-ation processFull entry , from anxiety, caffeine, nicotine, fever, anemia or an overactive thyroid, or from drugs that speed up the heart.
For the nurse
Take the apical pulse for a full minute and the blood pressure, and ask about chest pain, dizziness or fainting. Get an ECG or rhythm strip as ordered and report palpitations that come with any of these symptoms.
In a chart
"Client reports intermittent palpitations since this morning; apical pulse 128 and irregular."
Remember it
Palpitation is a feeling the client has; palpation is the nurse feeling with the hands.
At a glance
| Everyday words | heart racing or pounding |
|---|---|
| Spanish | palpitación |
| Also written | palpitations |
Easy to confuse with
palpation
Examining the body by touching and pressing with the hands and fingers.
Related terms
tachycardia
A heart rate faster than normal; in an adult, more than 100 beats per minute.
arrhythmia
A heart rhythm that is not normal: too fast, too slow or irregular.
atrial fibrillation
An irregular heart rhythm in which the upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating in an organized way.
hyperthyroidism
A condition in which the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone.