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Approach to the patient with palpitations
1Department of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Medical Clinics of North America
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Palpitations are a frequent outpatient complaint, often unrelated to cardiac arrhythmias. Evaluating these symptoms requires considering cardiac disease, clinical context, and symptom severity for accurate diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Palpitations are a common reason for outpatient visits, affecting up to 16% of patients.
- The symptoms are often nonspecific, with only 15% correlating to a cardiac arrhythmia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a concise approach for evaluating ambulatory patients experiencing palpitations.
- To highlight the importance of considering underlying cardiac disease, clinical setting, and symptom characteristics.
Main Methods:
- This article outlines a structured evaluation strategy for patients with palpitations.
- Focuses on differentiating benign causes from potentially serious cardiac conditions.
Main Results:
- Palpitations are frequently benign and not indicative of significant cardiac arrhythmias.
- The clinical significance is determined by the presence of cardiac disease and symptom severity.
Conclusions:
- A systematic approach is crucial for the effective evaluation of palpitations in an outpatient setting.
- Identifying patients with underlying cardiac disease is key to managing this common complaint.