But you're lucky, relatively speaking. If you were shot in the heart, your blood pressure would quickly drop, but it would take 10 to 15 seconds to lose brain function. In that time you could draw your gun, utter last words, or spend some time thinking about your unfortunate situation.
Caffeine can cause indigestion, which in turn may lead to heart palpitations. However, arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) can also cause palpitations, and this condition is more of a concern. Seek medical attention if your palpitations last longer than two or three minutes.
Causes of heart palpitations. Heart palpitations are frequently caused by stress or anxiety. In addition to making you feel terrible emotionally, stress can have a physical effect on your body. As a result, stress can cause the nerve endings that control your heart to fire more frequently or irregularly. Anxiety and panic attacks can also trigger palpitations by elevating adrenaline levels. Food and drink can cause heart palpitations. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can all affect your heart rate and may also increase the likelihood of irregular heartbeats. Some medications can cause heart palpitations. These include asthma inhalers, over the counter medications such as pseudoephedrine, and thyroid medications.