Palpitations

This condition is treated in the Cardiology clinic.

Emergency Referral Criteria

Criteria for Emergency include: 

• Palpitations with any of the following concerning features:
  • chest pain
  • shortness of breath
  • loss of consciousness
  • syncope/pre-syncope
  • persisting tachyarrhythmia on ECG

If you, or someone else, are experiencing a serious and life-threatening injury or illness call triple zero (000) immediately or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Learn more about when to access emergency care and non-emergency care options if the injury or illness is not serious or life-threatening.

Statewide Referral Criteria (SRC)

Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services

? Red flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

Urgent (Category 1)

• Palpitations without Emergency Referral Criteria concerning features however includes any of the following:
  • Other cardiac symptoms
  • Haemodynamic disturbance
  • Abnormal resting 12 lead ECG
• Palpitations in a patient with known structural heart disease or family history of sudden cardiac death

Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Consultant/Registrar to organise urgent review.

Semi-urgent (Category 2)

• Significant burden of ventricular ectopy i.e., Symptomatic or Associated with impaired cardiac function

Routine (Category 3)

• Palpitations - Patient's symptoms/presentation has not yet been addressed in any above criteria

Information to be included in the referral

(Referral may be returned without this)

Essential supporting information

Pathology

• FBC
• UEC
• CMP (Ca. Mg, PO4)
• LFT
• TSH

Imaging

• Nil essential

Investigations/other

• Any relevant ECGs (during episodes if possible)
• Holter monitor report - if available

Additional information

• Cardiac risk factor assessment

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Cardiology clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

Additional information which may be useful for triage:

• Relevant previous medical history and co-morbidities
• Caffeine intake, alcohol intake and drug use (including recreational drugs)
• Echocardiogram report
• Stress test report
• CXR report

Interim management advice can be found at HealthPathways Tasmania.

For more information please see HealthPathways Tasmania

Additional resources

RACGP Article - Initial Management of Cardiac Arrhythmias

View all clinic availability