The symptoms of palpitations include feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, beating too hard or too fast. Often, palpitations are harmless and your heart is actually working normally. However, palpitations can be a sign of a more serious problem. There may be a problem if in addition to palpitations you also feel dizzy or confused; feel lightheaded or faint; have difficulty breathing or feel short of breath; feel pain, pressure, or tightness in your chest, jaw, or arm; or have unusual sweating. These may be signs of a heart arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat).