When Should I Be Worried About Ectopic Beats?

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Although the symptoms of the heart missing a beat or a thumping in your chest can be unpleasant or cause anxiety, they do not indicate any problems with the heart, and the extra beats will not normally cause any damage to your heart. Normally a clinician will diagnose an ectopic beat from what you have told them.

Why do I always have ectopic heartbeats?

Ectopic beats may be caused or made worse by smoking, alcohol use, caffeine, stimulant medicines, and some street drugs. Ectopic heartbeats are rare in children without heart disease that was present at birth (congenital). Most extra heartbeats in children are PACs. These are often benign.

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How many ectopic beats per day is normal?

Previous studies suggest that up to 100 ventricular ectopic beats in a 24-hour period (24-hour Holter monitor) are within normal limits.

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