Why do people get a flutter?

How is atrial flutter treated?

Overview. Heart palpitations (pal-pih-TAY-shuns) are feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart. Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them. Although heart palpitations can be worrisome, they’re usually harmless.

It’s caused by an abnormal electrical circuit in the upper chambers of the heart (atria) that makes the atria beat quickly and flutter instead of fully squeezing . It can result in fast heart rates and a heart that doesn’t work as well as it should.

Most of the time, they’re caused by stress and anxiety, or because you’ve had too much caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol . They can also happen when you’re pregnant. In rare cases, palpitations can be a sign of a more serious heart condition.