Services
Palpitations Specialist in Poole & Bournemouth
Becoming suddenly aware of your own heartbeat — a racing, thumping, fluttering or skipping sensation — can be alarming, even when it turns out to be harmless. If you are looking for a palpitations specialist in Poole or Bournemouth, the value of seeing Dr Sujata Khambekar is a clear answer: confirming what is causing the sensation, ruling out anything that needs treatment, and giving you the reassurance or the plan you need.
Palpitations are extremely common and, in most people, are not a sign of serious heart disease. The difficulty is that they often come and go, so the key to a confident diagnosis is capturing the heart's rhythm at the moment the symptom happens.
What it is and who it is for
A palpitation is simply an awareness of the heartbeat. It might feel fast, slow, irregular, or like a single missed or extra beat. The causes range from entirely benign — caffeine, stress, tiredness, hormonal changes or harmless extra beats called ectopics — through to rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation or a fast supraventricular tachycardia that benefit from treatment.
A specialist assessment is worthwhile if your palpitations are frequent, prolonged, or associated with dizziness, breathlessness, chest discomfort or blackouts; if they came on suddenly; or if you have a family history of heart problems. It is equally appropriate if the palpitations are mild but you would simply like the reassurance of a thorough check.
Because Dr Khambekar can both arrange rhythm monitoring and perform an echocardiogram herself, the whole picture — the rhythm and the structure of the heart — can be assessed together rather than across several separate appointments.
What to expect
Your appointment starts with a detailed history: what the palpitations feel like, how long they last, what brings them on, and how they stop. This often points towards the likely cause before any test is done. An examination and a resting ECG follow, to check your heart's rhythm and look for any underlying clues.
Because palpitations are intermittent, the most useful step is usually a period of ambulatory monitoring — wearing a small, discreet recorder for 24 hours, several days, or longer — so that an episode can be captured and matched to your symptoms. An echocardiogram may be arranged to confirm the heart's structure is normal.
Once the recordings are reviewed, you will be given a clear explanation of what is happening and what it means. For many people that means firm reassurance and simple lifestyle advice; for others it means identifying a specific rhythm and discussing the treatment options, which may include medication or referral for a procedure.
Where it is available
Assessment of palpitations, including ECG, ambulatory monitoring and echocardiography, is available at Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital, The Harbour Hospital in Poole, and the Dorset Heart Clinic. Monitors can be fitted and returned at whichever location is most convenient for you across Poole and Bournemouth.
Cost & insurance
Palpitations assessments and the rhythm monitoring that supports them are covered by all major private medical insurers, who usually require a pre-authorisation code first. Self-paying patients are equally welcome, with costs confirmed in advance. See our fees & insurance page for details.
Frequently asked questions
Are heart palpitations dangerous?
Most palpitations are harmless and caused by things like caffeine, stress, tiredness or ordinary extra beats. A smaller number are due to rhythm disturbances that benefit from treatment. The purpose of an assessment is to tell the two apart so you know exactly where you stand.
When should I see a specialist about palpitations?
It is sensible to be checked if palpitations are frequent or prolonged, if they come with dizziness, breathlessness, chest pain or blackouts, if they started suddenly, or if you have a family history of heart problems. Equally, it is fine to seek reassurance even when symptoms are mild.
How will you find the cause if it only happens occasionally?
This is exactly why ambulatory monitoring is used. Wearing a small recorder for 24 hours, several days or longer makes it possible to capture an episode and match the rhythm to what you felt at the time, which a one-off ECG in clinic would usually miss.
Can lifestyle changes help with palpitations?
Often, yes. Reducing caffeine and alcohol, improving sleep, managing stress and staying well hydrated can noticeably reduce harmless palpitations. Any specific advice will be tailored to you once the cause is understood.
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