Background: Palpitations are a sensory symptom and are often described as a skipped beat, rapid fluttering in the chest, pounding sensation in the chest or neck, or a flip-flopping in the chest. Palpitations are nonspecific and can be a symptom or a diagnosis. This study aims to measure the level of awareness of adult population toward palpitation and its risk factors in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: The cross-sectional study, distributed among the adult population who were both male and female in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected by pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22 to assess the level of awareness of adult population toward palpitation and its risk factors in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.
Results: The study included 331 respondents; about 31.1% of them were within the age range of 18-30, 11.5% were less than 18 years, and 93.1% were from Saudi Arabia, while 6.6% were Non-Saudis. For the general awareness, out of 331 respondents, only 70 participants who had experienced any heart palpitations were taking medications. Also, the Chi-Squared test also confirms that there is a significant relationship between medication used and experiencing Palpitations.
Conclusion: Palpitations due to cardiac origin could be because of any reason, including arrhythmias, valvular heart diseases, cardiomyopathy, and pacemakers. The second most common cause is of psychiatric origins, such as a panic attack, anxiety, depression, and somatization. Overall, there is a need for an increased level of awareness of adult population toward palpitation and its risk factors in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.
Key words: Palpitation, awareness, cardiovascular diseases, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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