Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners
Palpitations are a common, non-specific presenting complaint in primary healthcare and emergency departments. Palpitations are mostly a symptom of benign underlying disease but a sign of life-threatening conditions. Importantly, palpitations are a symptom and not a diagnosis, and cardiac causes are...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2022-02-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5449 |
| _version_ | 1819049279001460736 |
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| author | Indiran Govender Kamelia K. Nashed Selvandran Rangiah Sunday Okeke Olga M. Maphasha |
| author_facet | Indiran Govender Kamelia K. Nashed Selvandran Rangiah Sunday Okeke Olga M. Maphasha |
| author_sort | Indiran Govender |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Palpitations are a common, non-specific presenting complaint in primary healthcare and emergency departments. Palpitations are mostly a symptom of benign underlying disease but a sign of life-threatening conditions. Importantly, palpitations are a symptom and not a diagnosis, and cardiac causes are the most concerning aetiology. Clinicians should seek to identify the underlying cause. History and physical examination are important in the assessment of patients with palpitations, and the use of a 12-lead electrographic (ECG) monitor on presentation is the gold standard of diagnosis. If the aetiology cannot be determined, an ambulatory Holter 24–48-h monitor can be used. Treatment and follow-up of patients presenting with palpitations as the main complaint will depend on the aetiology and investigation findings. Patients with palpitations accompanied by dizziness, excessive fatigue, or chest pains should receive adequate acute care aiming to stabilise their condition before referring to a higher level of care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:29:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-712d3d8ba8964e4a94c8b9fe73b60941 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:29:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-712d3d8ba8964e4a94c8b9fe73b609412022-12-21T19:05:35ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042022-02-01641e1e810.4102/safp.v64i1.54494210Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitionersIndiran Govender0Kamelia K. Nashed1Selvandran Rangiah2Sunday Okeke3Olga M. Maphasha4Department Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, PretoriaDepartment Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, PretoriaDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Pretoria and Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital, PretoriaPalpitations are a common, non-specific presenting complaint in primary healthcare and emergency departments. Palpitations are mostly a symptom of benign underlying disease but a sign of life-threatening conditions. Importantly, palpitations are a symptom and not a diagnosis, and cardiac causes are the most concerning aetiology. Clinicians should seek to identify the underlying cause. History and physical examination are important in the assessment of patients with palpitations, and the use of a 12-lead electrographic (ECG) monitor on presentation is the gold standard of diagnosis. If the aetiology cannot be determined, an ambulatory Holter 24–48-h monitor can be used. Treatment and follow-up of patients presenting with palpitations as the main complaint will depend on the aetiology and investigation findings. Patients with palpitations accompanied by dizziness, excessive fatigue, or chest pains should receive adequate acute care aiming to stabilise their condition before referring to a higher level of care.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5449palpitationsecgarrhythmiachest paintachycardia |
| spellingShingle | Indiran Govender Kamelia K. Nashed Selvandran Rangiah Sunday Okeke Olga M. Maphasha Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners South African Family Practice palpitations ecg arrhythmia chest pain tachycardia |
| title | Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| title_full | Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| title_fullStr | Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| title_full_unstemmed | Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| title_short | Palpitations: Evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| title_sort | palpitations evaluation and management by primary care practitioners |
| topic | palpitations ecg arrhythmia chest pain tachycardia |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5449 |
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