Heart palpitations during rest and stress tests: what should I worry about?

So, I just got back from seeing my cardiologist. Since I don't live here in the States, they don't just hand over the results on the spot. My doctor said we can't really sit down and go over everything until next week once the blood work comes back.
From what I gathered, I’ve got some mild tachycardia and extrasystoles—both while resting and during the stress test. Honestly, I could barely hang on for three minutes on the treadmill. It doesn't seem like there are a ton of them, but they're definitely there. It's categorized as sub-extrasystolic. The ultrasound came back fine, though. From what I understand, having those skipped beats show up during the stress test isn't exactly great news. The doctor kept insisting that the main thing is that the ultrasound looks good, but she didn't want to dwell on the rest. Can anyone give me a better idea of what this actually means? I won't have the official report for another week, but I'm starting to get a little anxious.
Thanks

What actually prompted the trip to the cardiologist? Are you dealing with any specific symptoms of heart disease? If we're talking about asymptomatic extrasystoles without underlying cardiac pathology, there’s usually no need for any kind of treatment, regardless of how often they occur. Most healthy adults deal with them at some point. Of course, I don't have enough data here to give you a more definitive answer.

So, I ended up seeing a cardiologist because I’ve been hitting the ER a few times lately due to some sinus tachycardia issues. They basically told me it wasn't anything life-threatening and sent me right back home. These palpitations have been hanging around for a while now, especially when I get worked up or push myself physically, and then the tachycardia kicks in. Honestly, I run out of breath pretty quickly and just feel exhausted. It used to happen maybe once a week, but now it's happening every single day, and frankly, it's starting to scare me. When it hits, I feel like I'm about to pass out. My heart rate can spike up to 150. My primary doctor put me on some Concor, but those pills just make me feel completely lifeless. Meanwhile, my specialist told me to hold off on everything until she can run a full battery of tests. The 24-hour Holter monitor and the stress test both picked up the skipped beats and the tachycardia, but I can't say for sure what the specifics are since we don't really get our lab results handed to us immediately here. Should I be taking the medication or not? To be fair, my ultrasound came back totally normal. Thanks for any input.

My husband dealt with the exact same issue—he was prescribed Bisobel 2.5 mg every morning, and those heart palpitations finally settled down.
He went through every single test, just like you have, and received the same diagnosis: it’s nothing dangerous—though, let’s be honest, it feels incredibly unsettling and can trigger a massive wave of panic and anxiety.
Just take care of yourself and try not to let the fear get the better of you.
In my opinion, a low-dose beta blocker could be quite effective at calming those skipped beats.

Jessica Brown7 said:So, I actually went to see a cardiologist because I’ve ended up in the ER a few times due to sinus tachycardia. They told me it wasn't anything dangerous and sent me home. I've been dealing with these palpitations for quite a while now, especially when I get worked up, do something strenuous, or when the tachycardia hits. Honestly, I run out of breath easily and get exhausted. The tachycardia used to happen once a week, but now it's happening every single day, and frankly, I'm terrified. When it happens, I feel like I’m going to pass out. My heart rate can climb as high as 150. My primary doctor prescribed Concor, but it just makes me feel dead inside, and my cardiologist told me not to take anything until she finishes all my tests. Both the 24-hour Holter monitor and the stress test showed the palpitations and the tachycardia. I can't give you specifics because we don't really get our lab results handed to us directly here. Should I take the pills or not? To be clear, my ultrasound came back completely normal. Thanks so much for the reply.

So, your primary care physician just decided to prescribe Concor on his own for sinus tachycardia? 😲 That seems off to me. What does your blood pressure look like? You have to understand that sinus tachycardia isn't a primary arrhythmia; it's a symptom—a physiological response from your heart to some other underlying issue. You don't treat the tachycardia itself; you treat whatever is causing it. If I were you, I’d listen to the cardiologist and follow her lead, as she’s clearly more specialized than your GP. Have you had any recent blood work done? Make sure you get your thyroid levels checked. It would be incredibly easy to overlook hyperthyroidism as the culprit here.

Everything is looking perfect on paper. My kidneys, iron levels, electrolytes, blood pressure, thyroid... everything. The tachycardia happens right after I eat. I’d honestly take beta blockers at this point because what started as an issue every other week has turned into a daily thing, and I'm just stuck waiting to see my doctor. In the US, a regular GP could easily prescribe a beta blocker for this. What actually scares me is those skipped beats during the stress test. I’ve heard that can be a bad sign... does anyone know anything about that? Thanks to you both. :-)

Jessica Brown7 said:Everything looks perfect on paper. Kidneys, iron levels, electrolytes, blood pressure, thyroid... everything is fine. But the tachycardia hits right after I eat. I’d probably take beta blockers because it started once every other week and now it's happening daily, and I'm just waiting to see my doctor. A regular GP here can prescribe them easily enough. What really scares me are those skipped beats during the stress test. I heard that's a bad sign... anyone know anything about that? Thanks to you both.:-)

It doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong. You didn't mention your age, and there's a huge difference between being 25 and being 80. It's true that asymptomatic PVCs don't need treatment if there's no underlying pathology, but certain patterns like bigeminy can point to heart issues, so that definitely needs looking into...

I'm 32. I was dealing with some health issues recently that kept me stuck in bed for quite a while, but now I just can't seem to shake this feeling. My heart keeps racing and I'm getting these constant palpitations... It's unsettling. What other tests should I be looking into to get to the bottom of this?

Jessica Brown7 said:I'm 32. I was dealing with some health issues recently and had to be on bed rest for a while, but now I just can't seem to get back to normal. My heart keeps racing and I'm feeling palpitations... What other tests should I look into?

What were you sick with? It might be related. Maybe you're anemic? Or maybe your heart is just out of shape after being stuck in bed for so long... Just wait until you see what your cardiologist says