Can dehydration cause heart palpitations?

Yes. Dehydration can contribute to heart palpitations, which may feel like a racing, pounding, fluttering, or skipped heartbeat.

Why it can happen:

• Lower blood volume: when you’re dehydrated, your circulating blood volume can drop, and your heart may beat faster or harder to help maintain blood pressure and blood flow.
• Electrolyte changes: dehydration can also affect electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which help regulate the heart’s electrical activity.

Signs dehydration may be contributing include thirst, dry mouth, dark urine or peeing less often, dizziness or lightheadedness, fatigue, and muscle cramps.

What to do:

• Rehydrate with water; if you’ve been sweating a lot or have had vomiting or diarrhea, an oral rehydration solution or electrolyte drink may help.
• Rest in a cool place.
• Avoid triggers like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.

Get urgent medical attention if palpitations come with chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, severe dizziness, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat, or if they keep happening despite rehydration. If you’re unsure of the cause, or if symptoms are new or persistent, it’s best to check with a clinician.