title: [Diagnostic management of patients with palpitations].
abstract: In the diagnostic work-up of patients with palpitations the first-line investigations involve history, physical examination and 12-lead ECG. In a good proportion of patients, these investigations allow the prognostic stratification of patients and a definite or suspected diagnosis of the cause of symptoms. However, when results of the initial evaluation are negative (which occurs more frequently in paroxysmal, short-lasting palpitations) and the patient is suffering from heart disease, or if palpitations are frequent or poorly tolerated with a high probability of an arrhythmic origin, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring and/or electrophysiological study should be undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Cardiovascolare, Ospedale Dell'Angelo, Mestre-Venezia. francogiada@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giada
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raviele
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D013686:Telemetry; D013997:Time Factors