Chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness on one side, a fit or heavy bleeding needs help now, not an appointment.

112Any emergency108Ambulance102Pregnancy and newborn
Check a symptomManage a conditionHealth calculatorsUnderstand a lab reportFirst aid
Chest, heart and lungs

Palpitations or racing heart

Also called palpitations, racing heart, dil ki dhadkan, fast heartbeat, heart pounding

What it meansSafe at homeDo not doSee a doctorWarning signs

What this means

Palpitations are when you become aware of your heartbeat, feeling it race, pound or skip. They are often harmless and linked to stress, caffeine or fever, but sometimes they need checking.

Safe to do at home

  • Sit down and breathe slowly and deeply
  • Reduce caffeine, tea and stimulant drinks
  • Manage stress and get enough sleep
  • Stay hydrated

Please do not do this alone

  • Do not take heart rhythm medicines on your own
  • Do not ignore palpitations with fainting or chest pain
  • Do not consume energy drinks or stimulants

Book a consultation if

  • Palpitations are frequent or last a long time
  • You also feel breathless or light headed
  • You have a known heart or thyroid condition

Get help immediately if

  • Palpitations with chest pain, breathlessness or fainting
  • A very fast, irregular heartbeat that does not settle

The right doctor for this

Cardiologist

This is the specialist who sees this symptom most often and can examine you properly. If you are not sure, a general physician is always a safe place to start and will refer you onward if you need it.

Consult a CardiologistStart with a General Physician

Get care for this

Doctors and care for palpitations or racing heart

Verified Teleprac doctors you can see online or in a clinic, lab tests with home sample collection, and genuine medicines delivered to your door.

Lab tests at home

Book online, a trained phlebotomist collects the sample at home.

See all heart tests
Shop Heart & Vascular CareDelivered home. Please take medicines only as your doctor advises.
See all symptoms

How to use this page. It explains what a symptom usually means, so that you can decide whether to watch it, book a consultation or get help now. It does not diagnose you, it does not know your age, your pregnancy or your other medicines, and it cannot replace being examined. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own.

Consult a doctorCardiologist Book a test

More free tools in the Health Hub

Open Health Hub
Manage a conditionYou live with diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid, asthma or something similarHealth calculatorsYou have a number, such as weight, waist or blood pressure, and want to know what it meansUnderstand a lab reportYou have a lab report with sugar, thyroid, cholesterol or blood counts and want to know what it meansFirst aidSomething has just happened to someone and you need to know what to do right now

Emergency numbers in India

Save these in your phone now, not when you need them. Tap any number to call it.

112Any emergencyOne number for police, fire and ambulance across India108AmbulanceFree emergency ambulance in most states and union territories102Pregnancy and newbornAmbulance for mothers and babies in most states14416Mental health supportTele MANAS, free counselling every hour of the day, many languages1800 116 117Poisoning or overdoseNational Poisons Information Centre, AIIMS New Delhi1098Child in distressChildline India, free and confidential

Where to read more

Public health sources written for patients rather than for doctors, and kept up to date.

Ministry of Health and Family WelfareOfficial Indian health programmes, advisories and public guidanceWorld Health Organization health topicsGlobal fact sheets written for the public, on hundreds of topicsNHS health A to ZPlain language pages on symptoms, conditions, tests and treatmentsMedlinePlusPatient information from the United States National Library of MedicineTele MANASIndia's national mental health support service, free and available all day

Important: Everything in Teleprac patient resources is general health education. It does not give you a diagnosis and it cannot replace examination by a qualified doctor, because it does not know your age, your reports, your pregnancy or the other medicines you take. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own. Teleprac Healthcare is not liable for decisions made on the basis of this information. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital immediately.