Conditions
Fast heartbeats
5.0 on GoogleYour heart may beat faster than usual for many reasons. Often, it’s harmless, but we recommend specialist diagnosis as it could be a sign of something more.
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Understanding the cause of your rapid heart rate is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment. I can develop a personalised plan to manage your heart rhythm.
Dr Ravi Assomull, Consultant Cardiologist and Founder
Heartbeat disorders where your heart beats faster: SVT, atrial flutter and more
The feeling of your heart beating faster than usual can be concerning. It’s not usually anything to worry about. Still, if you experience your heart beating faster than 100 beats per minute and you’re not doing anything to cause it, we recommend investigating further.
If you come and see Dr Ravi Assomull, he will recommend the tests you need to get a diagnosis. Below, we discuss some of the most common heartbeat disorders where your heart beats faster.
Extra/premature heartbeats
Extra, or premature, heartbeats are beats that happen outside your normal rhythm. If you have a structurally normal heart, this is nothing to worry about. If your heart has structural abnormalities, this condition could indicate you are at risk of other, more serious conditions.
The most common causes of this condition are environmental. For example, if you have consumed too much caffeine or alcohol and if you are overly tired. Sometimes it can be caused by hormonal changes and viral infections. If you are concerned about your lifestyle, Dr Ravi Assomull can help you identify modifications that could improve your heart health significantly.
Superventricular tachycardia (SVT)
This condition causes an erratic heartbeat or a very fast one, where your heart beats over 150 times per minute. It is caused by problems with the signalling in your heart and can stop your heart filling with blood properly.
Modifying your lifestyle is an effective way of preventing SVT and managing it if you have it. This includes following a heart-healthy lifestyle and managing your stress. If your SVT continues, you may need specific treatments. This can include medication, cardioversion, or surgery, such as catheter ablation or a pacemaker.
Key symptoms of Fast heartbeats
Dizziness
Dizziness is the sensation of feeling off balance or light-headed. You may feel as though your surroundings or you are spinning or moving (called vertigo).
Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath is when you find breathing challenging, wheezing, or breathlessness. Other heart conditions such as angina, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure can all cause shortness of breath.
Palpitations
Heart palpitations are the feeling that your heart is fluttering, racing, pounding, or like you’ve missed heartbeats. Palpitations can happen anytime, even while resting, and may be felt in the chest, neck, or throat.
Recommended tests for Fast heartbeats
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
An electrocardiogram is a test that measures and records your heart’s electrical activity and rhythm, including the strength and speed of your heartbeat.
Blood tests
Blood tests help us assess how well your heart functions, identify risk factors and monitor certain heart conditions.
Ambulatory ECG monitor
Ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors are devices that help take readings of your heart’s electrical activity during your daily activities over a longer period of time.
Book your consultation with Dr Ravi Assomull today
Looking after your heart is the most important thing you can do to improve your longevity and quality of life in the long term.
We’re here for you during your journey to better heart health. We provide tests and management strategies to help identify what might be wrong and where you can improve your lifestyle to reach prime heart health.
Book an appointment today to speak to our expert Integrative Cardiologist, Dr Ravi Assomull, about your heart concerns.
You can email us at: enquiries@cardiologist.london
Or call us at: 020 3576 2885
Frequently asked questions
Answers from the team at Cardiologist London. For personalised advice, book a consultation or call 020 3576 2885.
What counts as a fast heart rate?
A resting heart rate above 100 beats per minute in adults is called tachycardia. A fast rate can be a normal response to exercise, stress, caffeine or illness - what matters is whether it happens at rest, how it starts and stops, and whether other symptoms accompany it.
When is a fast heartbeat serious?
Seek urgent help if a racing heart comes with chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness or blackouts - call 999. Episodes that start abruptly for no reason, last more than a few minutes or recur deserve a cardiology assessment even if they settle on their own.
What tests will I need for a fast heart rate?
An ECG captures the rhythm at that moment; because episodes often come and go, an ambulatory (wearable) ECG monitor over days to weeks is frequently the key test. Blood tests check for triggers such as thyroid problems or anaemia, and an echocardiogram looks at the heart's structure.