Palpitations are generally defined as a tachycardia that occurs when the patient is conscious and is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort in the precordial region. This is a common clinical symptom that can occur during physiological conditions and sympathetic excitation such as exercise, fear, stress, and pathological conditions such as fever and hyperthyroidism. In general, palpitations due to accelerated heartbeat are more common in healthy people who exercise vigorously, are overly stressed, drink alcohol and coffee. Some groups are also prone to palpitations after the use of certain medications. In hyperthyroidism patients can develop hypermetabolism that leads to an increased heart rate, and other pathologies common to anemia, fever, hypoxia, and hypoglycemia can also predispose to palpitations. Sometimes a sudden rise in blood pressure may also cause palpitations, which are not tachycardia but only a subjective description of the discomfort by the patient.