Can palpitations lead to sudden death?

Whether palpitations can lead to sudden death mainly depends on the underlying cause of the palpitations. Palpitations are a medical term commonly characterized by sensations of rapid heartbeat, intense cardiac pulsation, or fluttering, and are often associated with arrhythmias. Generally, if palpitations are caused by mild arrhythmias or non-organic cardiac conditions, such as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia or sinus tachycardia, and are promptly treated with medication, sudden death typically does not occur. However, if palpitations result from severe heart diseases such as myocardial infarction, fulminant viral myocarditis, malignant arrhythmias, impaired cardiac function, or heart failure, the risk of sudden death significantly increases. Additionally, some endocrine disorders, such as hypoglycemia or hyperthyroidism, may also cause palpitations, but these conditions generally do not lead to sudden death. Therefore, when experiencing symptoms of palpitations, it is important to seek timely medical attention to identify the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment, thereby reducing the risk of serious consequences such as sudden death.