Expert advice on health and fitness - House Call
Author: Ebony

Q I am a 47-year-old Black female who exercises regularly and tries to eat right. My problem is that sometimes my heart, for no apparent reason, begins to beat faster than normal, to the point that it's scary. Sometimes it lasts for just a few minutes, but other times I have to sit down and try to relax before it will slow down. If you're wondering, I'm not overweight. What is going on with my heart? And is this something that I should really be concerned about, or is it one of those things that pass? L.E., Denver

A If you haven't done so already, immediately make an appointment to see a doctor, who can assess your condition and provide any necessary treatment. Whenever there is a question about your heart, it is wise to seek medical attention at once.

Without knowing more about your case, it sounds like your irregular heartbeat is what doctors call tachycardia (heart beating too fast). Normally, the heart beats at a rate of about 60 to 100 beats per minute at rest. Although most people experience rapid heartbeats as a response to anxiety, excitement, stress, exercise and drinking a lot of caffeine-containing beverages, these circumstances don't necessarily indicate underlying heart disease. But if tachycardia occurs at rest or without a logical cause, it is considered abnormal and sometimes life-threatening.

The symptoms can include palpitations, light-headedness (sometimes resulting in fainting), shortness of breath and pain in the chest or neck.