A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregular heartbeat. Heart rhythm problems (heart arrhythmias) occur when the electrical signals that coordinate the heart's beats don't work properly. The faulty signaling causes the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia) or irregularly.
Many arrhythmias are temporary and not life threatening. They can be caused by anxiety or consuming high amounts of alcohol or caffeine. In more serious cases, an abnormal heart rhythm can be a sign of heart disease or other medical conditions.
If not treated, arrhythmias can damage the heart, brain, or other organs. This can lead to life-threatening stroke, heart failure, or cardiac arrest. During cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, causing death if it is not treated within minutes.
Talk to your doctor or call 911 to seek immediate medical care if you notice any of these things about your irregular heartbeat: Happens frequently or for no apparent reason. Fast heartbeat when you are at rest (more than 100 beats per minute) Slow heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute)
The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and fast heart beat. Many factors can affect your heart's rhythm, such as having had a heart attack, smoking, congenital heart defects, and stress. Some substances or medicines may also cause arrhythmias.
You can certainly live a happy, healthy life with an irregular heartbeat. However, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor when you're experiencing new symptoms or discomfort.
Most people with an abnormal heart rhythm can lead a normal life if it is properly diagnosed. The main types of arrhythmia are: atrial fibrillation (AF) – this is the most common type, where the heart beats irregularly and faster than normal.
While medications are used to control abnormal heart rhythms, ablation procedures can cure some types of arrhythmia completely. Once treated, whether through ablation or ongoing medications, most patients with a heart rhythm issue can return to their normal activity levels.
Ventricular Arrhythmias
The first type, ventricular tachycardia, is a fast heart rhythm that can cause dizziness, palpitations, and fainting. Ventricular tachycardia is often associated with coronary artery disease and other heart problems and requires prompt medical attention.
Heart Palpitations and Anxiety. Heart palpitations due to anxiety feel like your heart is racing, fluttering, pounding or skipping a beat. Your heartbeat can increase in response to specific stressful situations. You may also have palpitations due to an anxiety disorder (excessive or persistent worry).
You should see a doctor if: Your symptoms persist or frequently return. You have diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure or family history of heart disease. You feel lightheaded, have chest pain and/or have difficulty breathing.
In general, the consensus seems to be that sleeping on your left side is better for most people. It may reduce GERD and sleep apnea more than sleeping on your right side. The only exception is that people with congestive heart failure or heart palpitations might benefit from sleeping on their right sides.
Cardioversion is a procedure used to return an abnormal heartbeat to a normal rhythm. This procedure is used when the heart is beating very fast or irregular. This is called an arrhythmia.
Remember that a heart arrhythmia is different from a heart attack. Heart arrhythmias are caused by electrical problems. Sometimes, it's just a single skipped beat, but arrhythmias can last minutes, hours, days and possibly years. Occasionally, the heart's electrical signals get caught in a little short-circuit loop.
Flecainide, sotalol (also a beta blocker) and amiodarone are also commonly prescribed for arrhythmias. They have the ability to terminate an arrhythmia and are usually given to prevent the abnormal rhythm from occurring or reduce its frequency or duration.
Heart arrhythmia treatment may include medications, catheter procedures, implanted devices or surgery to control or eliminate fast, slow or irregular heartbeats. A heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart damage that can trigger certain heart arrhythmias.
Physical activity at moderate-high intensity is recommended to prevent lifestyle diseases. Patients with atrial fibrillation are at risk of a sedentary lifestyle due to fear of exercise-induced episodes of atrial fibrillation. The burden of arrhythmia can be reduced by physical exercise.
You will need to be able to recognize the four lethal rhythms. Asystole, Ventricle Tachycardia (VT), Ventricle Fibrillation (VF), and Polymorphic Ventricle Tachycardia (Torsade de pointes). Use this study guide and other resource books to review ECG interpretation.
Stress, anger, and depression have all been shown to have a significant impact on cardiac arrhythmogenesis.
Four rhythms produce pulseless cardiac arrest: ventricular fibrillation (VF), rapid ventricular tachycardia (VT), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and asystole.
Did you know that some digital automatic blood pressure monitors can identify the possible presence of arrhythmia? This disorder, whose most common form is atrial fibrillation, causes an irregular, sometimes rapid heartbeat and makes the heart less effective at pumping the blood.