A heart palpitation (often just called a palpitation) is the sudden sensation that you can feel your heart beating in your chest. Heart palpitations can certainly be associated with shortness of breath, that is, the two symptoms together without a serious condition being present. That usually indicates that the irregularity of the heart rhythm is significant and may signal the need for a more comprehensive evaluation. Class I of antiarrhythmic drugs is known as “sodium channel blockers.” These medications have long been used in the United States to control arrhythmias. They work by blocking “sodium channels” (the transport of sodium across the cell walls) in order to slow impulse conduction in the heart. Your doctor may order certain tests or refer you to a cardiologist who may order additional tests such as: blood and urine tests, electrocardiogram (EKG), stress test, chest x-ray.
