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  |  General Health  |  Diseases and conditions  |  Is stress a cause of palpitations?
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Is stress a cause of palpitations?

by Dr Howard Lee

question
I am 48 years old and have been getting palpitations on and off over the last 10 weeks or so. My resting pulse rate has been between 90 and 108. A recent ECG was normal and my heart sounds OK. My GP seems to think the palpitations are stress related although I don’t think there is any more stress in my life than usual. Can palpitations be harmful?

answer
You say ‘no more stress in your life than usual’ – and I presume, by this, that there is a possible situation that could be contributory. Most people do, of course, have daily stresses – but at an acceptable level. If you have a normally high level but have, perhaps, adapted yourself to cope with this increased level, then it may be that stress is indeed a cause of your palpitations.

Palpitations themselves are not harmful, but it is important to determine if they are a symptom of another problem that needs to be treated. Have you, for instance, had blood tests to eliminate other ailments such as infection, anaemia, thyroid gland problems or hormonal changes? All of these can be a cause, but it is good news that your ECG is OK. It is a somewhat complex circle of events but this circle needs to be broken at some point.

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