Palpitation differential diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Akash Daswaney, M.B.B.S[2]

Overview

When coming up with a differential diagnoses, it would be useful to link positive history,physical examination and ECG findings to cardiac (arrhythmia Related), cardiac (not related to arrhythmia), systemic causes (Non Cardiac), pharmacological causes and psychiatric causes.

Differentiating [Disease name] from other Diseases

• Palpitation in itself is not a condition but a symptom reflective of an underlying condition.
• When coming up with a differential diagnoses, it would be useful to link positive history,physical examination and ECG findings to any of the following 5 categories:
  1. Cardiac (arrhythmia Related)
  2. Cardiac (Not related to arrhythmia)
  3. Systemic causes (Non cardiac)
  4. Pharmacological causes
  5. Psychiatric causes

Cardiac (Arrhythmia related) Differentials	Cardiac (Not Arrhythmia related) Differentials	Systemic Non Cardiac Differentials	Pharmacological Differentials	Psychiatric Differentials
Premature ventricular contractions Premature Atrial Contractions Ventricular tachycardia Ventricular fibrillation Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome Brugada syndrome Sinus tachycardia Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia Tachycardia with variable block, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome Long QT syndrome Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Bradycardia caused by advanced arteriovenous block Bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome (sick sinus syndrome) Multifocal atrial tachycardia Pacemaker-mediated tachycardia Catecholamine Sensitive Arrythmia AV Re-entry tachycardia AV Nodal Re-entry Tachycardia	Congenital heart disease Cardiomegaly Aortic aneurysm Myocardial Ischemia Mitral Valve Prolapse Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy Atrial Septal Defect Congestive Heart Failure Stenotic/ Regurgitant Valvular Heart Diseases Cardiomyopathy Pericarditis Ventricular Septal Defect Atrial Myxoma Anemia AV fistula Paget's disease Pregnancy	Thyrotoxicosis Mastocytosis Exercise Electrolyte imbalance Hypoglycemia Hypovolemia Pheochromocytoma Pulmonary disease Vasovagal syndrome Obstructive Sleep Apnea Food poisoning	Caffeine Cocaine Amphetamine Digitalis, Phenothiazine Theophylline Beta agonists Alcohol Tobacco	Stress Anxiety disorder Panic disorder Somatization Disorder Express Hypochondria type behavior Depression