The human heart normally beats 60 to 100 times each minute, although the heart of a well-toned athlete may beat only 55 times per minute. Heart flutters, sometimes called heart palpitations, are defined as "...heartbeat sensations that feel like your heart is pounding or racing" by Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. The flutter may also cause a brief sensation, as if the heart skipped several beats. The causes of heart flutters are diverse and vary according to age and health history.
Stimulants
Diet pills containing high levels of caffeine, cocaine and nicotine are related to heart palpitations, according to the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Alan Peterson, writing in "Physician's Chronicles," listed caffeine found in soda, coffee, fortified alcoholic drinks, chocolate and tea as a trigger for heart flutters.
Hyperventilation
Panic or high levels of anxiety can cause the heart to race. This sensation is usually accompanied by shortness of breath. The heart may flutter when the person is struggling to breathe rapidly. This condition is sometimes accompanied by feelings of panic brought on by fear of high places (acrophobia) or fear of small enclosed spaces (claustrophobia).
Heart Disease
Heart diseases that are responsible for an abnormal heart rhythm may also influence the amount and degree of heart fluttering, according to the Mayo Clinic. Mitral valve prolapse is another physical problem that causes heart flutters. Medline Plus describes this as a condition "...in which the valve that separates the left upper chamber (atrium) from the left lower chamber (ventricle) of the heart does not close properly."
Anemia
Anemia happens when the body has low levels of red blood cells. The lack of healthy cells limits the amount of oxygen delivered to the cells and tissues. The Mayo Clinic states that this condition may also be accompanied by heart flutters.
Fever
Increased body temperatures, measured with an oral thermometer at higher than 99 degrees F (37 degrees C), can cause the heart to flutter and race. Diseases such as influenza may create short-term conditions that include heart palpitations.
Overactive Thyroid
Overactive thyroid, sometime called hyperthyroidism, may cause the heart to flutter. The thyroid gland regulates hormones and the use of energy by the cells. If too great an amount of these substances is released at any one time, serious consequences may follow, including heart palpitations, loss of weight, fatigue and difficulties in sleeping, tolerating heat and sitting at rest.
Exercise
The heart may flutter and race when individuals unaccustomed to heavy exercise experience short-term, intense periods of activity. The palpitations usually subside after the activity halts and the body is allowed to return to rest.
Medications
Certain medications may cause heart flutters. The Mayo Clinic specifies asthma inhalers containing stimulants, as well as cough medications with pseudoephedrine as the active ingredient. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia also lists thyroid pills, beta blockers and anti-arrhythmic drugs as other possible causes of an irregular heart beat.
