Heart palpitations are relatively common and are described as a feeling of the heart "fluttering" in your chest. Many diseases present with a combination of heart palpitations and unintentional weight loss. In addition, some drugs -- both prescription and nonprescription -- can cause these symptoms. If you are experiencing heart palpitations and unintentional weight loss, see your doctor, as these symptoms may be indicative of serious underlying disease.
Heart Palpitations
According to Joseph Loscalzo in "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," palpitations are often described as an occasional sensation of "fluttering" or "pounding" in the chest. They are often noticed when a person is resting quietly, and may first manifest as an increased awareness of the heart beating in the chest. Cardiac dysfunction and psychiatric disease make up the vast majority of causes of palpitations; however, certain drugs may also cause palpitations.
Weight Loss
According to Ralph Gonzales and Paul L. Nadler in "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment," weight loss that is unintentional and is more than 5 percent of a person's total body weight, occurring over at least six months, is medically concerning. Weight loss may result from a number of disease processes, the most concerning of which is cancer. However, other causes of weight loss include gastrointestinal disease, infection and psychiatric illnesses, such as depression or dementia.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is one example of a disease that can present with heart palpitations and weight loss. Your thyroid produces a hormone known as T4 that is responsible for regulating your body's basal metabolic rate. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, hyperthyroidism is usually the result of an autoimmune disease known as Grave's disease. Other symptoms include nervousness, heat intolerance and diarrhea.
Pheochromocytoma
Pheochromocytoma is a cancer of your adrenal gland, which is a gland that produces epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones usually associated with the fight-or-flight response you experience when feeling stressed; that is, they increase your heart rate, cause you to sweat, and so on. According to Hartmut P. H. Neumann in "Harrison's," pheochromocytoma can present with heart palpitations and weight loss, as well as with high blood pressure, unprovoked perspiration and headaches.
Other Causes
Other causes of heart palpitations and weight loss include anxiety disorder and overuse of certain drugs, including caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines. The latter two drugs are technically illegal, however, some prescription medications are designed with similar mechanisms of action as these two drugs and are used to treat disease. For example, according to Clinical Pharmacology, Adderall, a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has the same mechanism of action as amphetamines.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine"; Anthony S. Fauci, Eugene Braunwald, Dennis L. Kasper, Stephen L. Hauser, Dan L. Longo, J. Larry Jameson, and Joseph Loscalzo (editors); 2008
- "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment"; Stephen J. McPhee and Maxine A. Papadakis (editors); 2009
- National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service: Hyperthyroidism
- Clinical Pharmacology: Adderal
