title: The teenager with palpitations.
abstract: Palpitations can result from cardiac awareness (increased conscious perception of the heart beating) or from a fast or irregular cardiac rhythm. Most causes for palpitations in the teenager can be diagnosed with minimal testing. Patients with an abnormal ECG, non-sinus tachycardia, abnormal cardiac examination, concerning family history, or palpitations associated with activity or syncope should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist. This article discusses the evaluation, testing, and management of teenagers with palpitations. It also provides a general guideline for referral for subspecialty evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The Willis J. Potts Heart Center, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 21, Chicago, IL 60611-2605, USA. Electronic address: fsedaghatyazdi@luriechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Farshad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sedaghat-Yazdi
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Koenig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Palpitations; Pediatric; Sinus tachycardia; Supraventricular tachycardia; Teenager