When you exercise, your heart rate increases to get extra oxygen to your tissues through your blood. During this time, you may experience the sensation that your heart is skipping a beat --- a heart arrhythmia, or irregular heart beat. The cause may be temporary and harmless, or it may be due to a condition which needs medical attention. Either way, if this happens often, consult a physician rather than resort to self-diagnosis.
Exercise
If you notice that your heart skips a beat during exercise, the MedlinePlus online medical encyclopedia recommends that you stop and take your heart rate. Record this information and take it with you when you consult your doctor. This type of information can help in the diagnosis of any potential problems.
Causes in Healthy Individuals
Pushing yourself too quickly too soon in an exercise session can lead to hyperventilation and poor oxygen content in your blood, which can cause the sensation of your heart skipping a beat. Obesity, smoking and excess caffeine can also be contributors. It is important to build up to intense exercise by warming up your body with gentle aerobic exercise, elevating the intensity slowly before you begin working out really hard. This can help to help prevent a skipping sensation, assuming you are otherwise healthy.
Medical Causes
Only a medical professional can accurately diagnose the cause of an irregular heart beat, so it is advisable that you seek medical advice rather than try to diagnose any condition yourself if you are worried. An irregular heartbeat manifesting as the sensation of your heart skipping a beat during times of stress on the heart, like exercise, may be caused by medication, anemia, overactive thyroid or by defects of the heart valves, including conditions such as mitral valve prolapse, MedlinePlus notes.
At the Medical Office
At the medical office, your doctor will ask you a range of questions about your condition and lifestyle, perform a physical exam and may also perform a test called an electrocardiogram. This test allows the doctor to be able to see how your heart is performing. In addition, you may be asked to undergo an exercise stress test, where you are hooked up to a heart monitor while you perform some simple exercise like walking or running on a treadmill. You might also be asked to wear special heart monitors for one or several days to monitor your heart. Whatever the outcome, be sure to follow your doctor's advice of your doctor, and speak to your doctor about your diet and exercise routine going forward to help prevent re-occurrence.
