“Should I go to ER for heart palpitations?”
I have had heart palpitations for 3 days. What can I do? Should I go to ER for heart palpitations?
6 Answers
Yes
I would recommend following up with your primary care provider. They can often start the process of figuring out what is going on and then decide if you need to see a cardiologist.
It wouldn't hurt. It depends if this is a new issue or known. Are you on any medications for it? How old are you?
You should get it checked out. First in the ER. If the workup there does not answer the question, you probably should obtain a home heart monitor device through a cardiologist or a good primary care. If there is pain and/or shortness of breath involved, you should always go to the ER. It's possibly just anxiety, but that is ALWAYS a diagnosis of "exclusion," meaning only made if all other tests are negative.
If the palpitations are persistent or becoming more frequent, are accompanied by chest pain/tightness, dizziness, or shortness of breath, you should go to the ER, and consider having EMS transport you if you do not have someone who can drive you as you should not drive if you are at risk of losing consciousness. If the palpitations are sporadic and not associated with significant symptoms, you should be seen by your Primary Care Physician, or a Cardiologist if your Primary Physician is unable to see you or is not comfortable evaluating these symptoms, as soon as possible.
You can see your primary care physician or cardiologist.
