HEALTH TOPICS ▼

Shopping Cart

Description	Qty	Price
The Harvard Medical School 6-Week Plan for Healthy Eating (Print - Free U.S. Shipping!)		$20.00
Improving Memory: Understanding Age-Related Memory Loss (PDF - Lowest Price!)		$18.00
Harvard Health Letter (Print & Online Access (PDF)!)		$16.00
Subtotal		$54.00

Checkout

Please note: If you have a promotional code you'll be prompted to enter it prior to confirming your order.

Customer Sign In

Returning Customer

If you have an account, please sign in.

New Customers

If you subscribe to any of our print newsletters and have never activated your online account, please activate your account below for online access. By activating your account, you will create a login and password. You only need to activate your account once.

Activate My Account

Pay Your Bill Online

Harvard Heart Letter

Ask the doctor: Why does my heart sometimes feel like it stops, then starts up again with a jerk?

Published: June, 2011

Q. I am 92 years old. I have atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure, both controlled by medication. Every so often when I am relaxed in my chair after dinner, my heart feels like it stops and then starts up again with a jerk. Is this something I should worry about?

A. If you have atrial fibrillation, it is common to feel your heart pause and then start up with a bit of a kick. Here's why:

To continue reading this article, you must log in.

Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.

Research health conditions
Check your symptoms
Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
Find the best treatments and procedures for you
Explore options for better nutrition and exercise

New subscriptions to Harvard Health Online are temporarily unavailable. Click the button below to learn about our other subscription offers.