Understanding your heart rhythm
Skipped beats, a racing heart, fluttering in your chest, or a blackout — these can all be signs of a heart rhythm problem (arrhythmia). They’re common, and in many cases very treatable, but always worth having checked.
Common symptoms
- Palpitations — an awareness of your heart beating, whether fluttering, pounding or racing
- Skipped or missed heart beats — usually harmless extra beats called ectopics, but worth ruling out anything else
- Blackouts (syncope) — loss of consciousness caused by the heart beating too fast or too slow
Read more about symptoms in detail.
Heart rhythm conditions we treat
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) — the most common rhythm disturbance, and a risk factor for stroke if untreated
- Atrial flutter — closely related to AF, usually very treatable with ablation
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) — episodes of rapid heartbeat that start and stop abruptly
- Ventricular tachycardia (VT) — a rhythm disturbance from the heart’s lower chambers, needing specialist assessment
Read more about heart rhythm conditions we treat.
Not sure what your symptoms mean? Read our FAQs or ask your GP to refer you to us for an assessment.