You don’t think much about your heartbeat until it does something abnormal like flutter. If you notice this strange sensation, you should make an appointment with our our expert team of board-certified interventional cardiologists, led by Muthu Velusamy, MD, FACC, ABVM at Cardiovascular Institute of America. You should never ignore a peculiar feeling or sensation in your heart.
However, in many cases, the cause of a heart flutter is benign and could be as simple as overexertion at the gym or stress. Dr. Velusamy and our team offer state-of-the-art diagnostics to find out what’s causing your heart flutter.
A heart flutter is the name for the fluttering sensation you get in your chest when your heart beats faster or slower than usual, skips a beat, or pauses for longer than usual between beats. You might also refer to a fluttering heart as palpitations.
So many factors can cause a fluttering heart. Although you should always have an irregular heartbeat checked out, in many cases, the cause is benign and easily managed. Some of the less dangerous conditions that cause a heart flutter include:
However, a heart flutter could also occur after open-heart surgery or if you have coronary artery disease or atrial flutter.
Coronary artery disease occurs when the larger arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle become hardened or clogged because of atherosclerosis. It’s the most common type of heart disease and can lead to angina (chest pain) or a heart attack.
Atrial flutter is a type of arrhythmia that occurs when your heart’s sinus node, which is your heart’s natural pacemaker, sends abnormally timed electrical signals to the different chambers in your heart. This can make your upper (atria) and lower (ventricles) heart chambers pump out of time.
An occasional flutter isn’t necessarily something you need to worry about. Still, if you frequently feel a fluttering in your chest, you should make an appointment with Dr. Velusamy here at One Oak Medical. He begins with a comprehensive exam, reviewing your medical history, lifestyle, and symptoms. Dr. Velusamy also uses state-of-the-art cardiac tests, including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and electrophysiology studies to assess your heart and overall cardiovascular health and identify the condition causing your heart flutter.
Depending on the cause of your heart flutter, Dr. Velusamy and our team create customized treatment plans to improve and protect your heart. Your treatment plan could include lifestyle modifications, medication, or in severe situations, procedures to repair your heart, and regulate the electrical activity that keeps it pumping.
If you’re concerned about your heart health or looking for expert medical care in Tampa and Lutz, Florida, give us a call or schedule a consultation online today. Our team of health care experts is here to help you lead a long, healthy, and fulfilling life.
