Arrhythmias

While arrhythmia is often harmless, some types can be life-threatening. You have an arrhythmia, you may feel anxious, dizzy, or lightheaded. You may also experience chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting. Arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms. They can occur in the upper or lower chambers of the heart. Arrhythmia can be life-threatening and need to be treated by a doctor. Arrhythmia is a type of heart rhythm disorder well. The heart may beat too fast, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern. When this happens, it affects how the heart pumps blood. Arrhythmia can be serious, and even life-threatening. This can lead to a number of health complications, including an increased risk of heart failure. While there are many different types of arrhythmias, they all share one common symptom: an irregular heartbeat.

Types of Arrhythmias

In general, the heartbeats area unit is sorted in keeping with the speed of the heartbeat. For example:

• Tachycardia (tak-ih-KAHR-dee-uh) may be a quick heart. A resting vital sign bigger than a hundred beats per minute.
• Bradycardia (brad-e KAHR-dee-uh) may be a slow vital sign. A resting vital sign is a smaller amount than sixty beats per minute.

Fast heartbeat (tachycardia)

Types of tachycardias include:

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib). Chaotic internal organ signal causes fast, uncoordinated heartbeats. The condition will be temporary, however, some A-fib episodes might not stop unless treated.
Atrial flutter. fibrillation is analogous to A-fib, however the heartbeats area unit a lot regular. fibrillation is additionally connected to stroke.
Supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia. It may be a broad term that features arrhythmias that originate within the lower chambers of the center (ventricles). Supraventricular cardiac arrhythmia causes episodes of fast heartbeat (palpitations) that begin and stop suddenly.
Ventricular fibrillation. this kind of cardiopathy happens once fast, chaotic electrical signals cause the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles) to vibrate rather than acquiring in a very coordinated approach that pumps blood to the remainder of the body. This significant issue will result in death if the conventional regular recurrence isn’t renovated at intervals of minutes. most of the people in UN agencies have arrhythmia cardiopathy or have older severe trauma.
Ventricular cardiac arrhythmia. This rapid, regular heartbeat is triggered by faulty electrical signals within the heart’s lower chambers (ventricles). a quick vital sign doesn’t permit the ventricles to fill with blood properly. As a result, the center cannot pump enough blood throughout the body. Cavum cardiac arrhythmia might not cause serious issues in individuals with a healthy heart. In individuals with cardiopathy, cavum cardiac arrhythmia will be a medical emergency that needs immediate medical treatment.

The slow vital sign (bradycardia)

Although a resting vital sign of fewer than sixty beats per minute is taken into account for cardiac arrhythmia, a resting vital sign doesn’t invariably indicate a drag. If you’re physically working, your heart could also be ready to pump enough blood around the body with but sixty beats per minute at rest.

If your vital sign is slow and your heart isn’t pumping enough blood, you will have a kind of cardiac arrhythmia. forms of cardiac arrhythmia include:

Sick sinus syndrome. The sinus node is accountable for controlling the center rate. If it does not work properly, the center rate might alternate between too slow (bradycardia) and too quick (tachycardia). Sick sinus syndrome will be caused by scarring close to the sinus node that slows, disrupts, or stops the movement of impulses. Sick sinus syndrome is commonest in older adults.
Conduction block. A block within the heart’s electrical pathways will cause the signals that trigger the heartbeat to slow or stop. Some blocks might cause no signs or symptoms, et al might cause skip beats or cardiac arrhythmia.

Premature heartbeats.

Premature heartbeats are unit additional beats that happen all quickly, typically in patterns that alternate with the conventional heartbeat. Additional beats will come back from the heart’s higher chamber (premature chamber contraction) or lower chamber (premature cavum contraction). Premature heartbeats will desire your heart has stopped beating. So these additional heartbeats area unit typically unrelated, and they seldom mean that your condition is a lot of serious. Still, premature beats will trigger durable arrhythmias, particularly in individuals with cardiopathy. sometimes, terribly frequent premature beats that last for years will result in a weak heart. Premature heartbeats will occur whereas resting. typically premature heartbeats area unit caused by stress, strenuous exercise, or stimulants like caffeine or vasoconstrictors.

Symptoms of Arrhythmias

A heart condition may be “silent” and cause no symptoms. A doctor will observe an Associate in Nursing irregular heartbeat during an Associate in Nursing examination by taking your pulse, taking note of your heart, or performing arts diagnostic tests. If symptoms occur, they will include:

• ++ Palpitations ++: a sense that the guts have stopped beating or that your heart is “racing”, fluttering, or “flipping”.
• Palpitations in your chest.
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed.
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest pain.
• Weakness or fatigue (feeling terribly tired).
• Weakening of the guts muscle or low ejection fraction.

Causes

Arrhythmias can be caused by:

• Single artery disease.
• Irritable tissue in the heart because of genetic or acquired causes.
• High blood pressure.
• Changes in the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
• Valve malfunction.
• An electrolyte imbalance in your blood, such as an imbalance of sodium or potassium.
• Injury from a heart attack.
• The healing process after heart surgery.
• Other medical conditions.

Diagnosis of Arrhythmias

To diagnose a heart arrhythmia, a doctor will usually do a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms. Tests can be done to confirm an irregular heartbeat and look for conditions that can cause arrhythmias, such as heart disease or thyroid disease.

Tests to diagnose a heart arrhythmia may include:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). During an ECG, sensors (electrodes) that can detect the heart’s electrical activity are attached to the chest and sometimes the arms or legs. That measures the timing and duration of each electrical phase in the heartbeat.
• Holter monitor. This portable ECG device can be worn for a day or more to record your heart activity as you go about your daily routine.
• Event recorder. That wearable ECG device is used to detect sporadic arrhythmias. You press the button when symptoms appear. An event recorder can be worn for long periods of time (up to 30 days or until you have arrhythmias or normal symptoms).
• Echocardiogram. In this non-invasive test, a hand-held device (transducer) placed on the chest uses sound waves to create images of the size, structure, and movement of the heart.
• Implantable loop recorder. If symptoms are mild, an event recorder may be implanted under the skin in the chest area to continuously record the heart’s electrical activity and detect heart irregularities.

Other Diagnosis of Arrhythmias

If your doctor doesn’t find an arrhythmia during these tests, he or she may try to trigger the arrhythmia with other tests, which may include:

• Pressure check. Arrhythmias are triggered or worsened by exercise. During a stress test, heart activity is monitored while you ride a stationary bicycle or walk on a treadmill. If you have trouble exercising, a drug may be given to stimulate the heart in a way that is similar to exercise.
• Tilt table test. A doctor may recommend this test if you have fainting spells. Your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored while you lie on the table. Then the table is tilted as if you are standing. The doctor watches how your heart and the nervous system that controls it respond to the change in angle.
• Electrophysiological testing and mapping. In this test, also called an EP study, a doctor passes thin, flexible tubes (catheters) with electrodes through blood vessels to different areas inside the heart. Once in place, electrodes can map the propagation of electrical impulses through the heart.

Sometimes, a heart doctor (cardiologist) uses electrodes to stimulate the heart to beat at rates that can trigger—or stop—arrhythmias. Doing so helps the doctor determine the location of the arrhythmia, its possible causes, and the best treatment options. This test can also be done to determine if a person with certain health conditions is at risk of developing heart rhythm disease.

Treatment of Arrhythmias

Treatment for heart palpitations depends on whether you have a fast heart rate (tachycardia) or a slow heart rate (bradycardia). Some heart arrhythmias do not require treatment. Your doctor can recommend regular checkups to monitor your condition. So Heart arrhythmia treatment is usually only need if the irregular heartbeat is causing significant symptoms, or if the condition is putting you at risk for more serious heart problems. Treatment for heart palpitations may include medications and treatments such as vaginal exercises, cardioversion, catheter procedures, or heart surgery.

Medications

Medicines used to treat heart palpitations depend on the type of arrhythmia and possible complications. For example, medications to control heart rate and restore normal heart rhythms are often prescribes for most people with tachycardia. So if you have atrial fibrillation, blood thinners you may be prescribes to prevent blood clots. It is very important to take medications as directed by your doctor to reduce the risk of complications.

Therapies

Treatment for heart palpitations includes vaginal exercises and cardioversion to prevent heart irregularities.

• Vagal maneuvers. If your heart rate is too fast due to supraventricular tachycardia, your doctor may recommend this therapy. Vagal maneuvers affect the nervous system that controls your heart rate (vagus nerve), often causing your heart rate to slow. For example, you may be able to stop an arrhythmia by holding your breath and applying pressure, immersing your face in ice water, or coughing. It don’t work for all types of arrhythmias.
• Cardioversion. This method of resetting the heart rhythm can be done with medication or as a procedure. Your doctor may prescribe this treatment if you have a certain type of arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation.

During a cardioversion procedure, a shock is delivered to your heart through a paddle or patch on your chest. The current affects the electrical impulses in your heart and can restores a normal rhythm.

Surgery of Arrhythmias

Treatment for heart arrhythmias may include catheter procedures or surgery to implant a heart (cardiac) device. Some arrhythmias may require open heart surgery.

Types of procedures and surgeries used to treat heart pain include:

Catheter removal. In this procedure, the doctor guides one or more catheters through the blood vessels to the heart. Electrodes on the catheter tips use heat or cold energy to create tiny traces in your heart to stop abnormal electrical signals and restore a normal heartbeat.

Pacemaker

If there is no cause for a slow heart rate (bradycardia) that can be corrected, doctors often treat it with a pacemaker because there are no drugs that can reliably speed up the heart. A pacemaker is a small device that is usually placed near the collarbone. More than one electrode-tipped wires run from the pacemaker through the blood vessels to the inner heart. If the heart beats too slowly or if it stops, the pacemaker sends electrical impulses that stimulate the heart to beat at a steady rate.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Your doctor may prescribe this device if you are at high risk of developing dangerously fast or irregular beats in the heart’s lower chambers (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation). If you have had a sudden heart attack or have certain heart conditions that increase your risk of sudden cardiac arrest, your doctor may also prescribe an ICD.

An ICD is a battery-operated unit that is implanted under the skin near the collarbone – similar to a pacemaker. One or more electrode-tipped wires lead from the ICD through the veins to the heart.

If the ICD detects an abnormal heart rhythm, it sends low- or high-energy shocks to restore the heart to a normal rhythm. An ICD does not prevent an irregular heart rhythm from occurring, but it does treat it if it does.

Maze procedure.

In a labyrinth procedure, a surgeon makes an incision in the heart tissue in the upper half of your heart to create a pattern (or labyrinth) of scar tissue. Because scar tissue does not conduct electricity, it interferes with the stray electrical impulses that cause some types of arrhythmia. The Maze procedure is usually reserved for people who do not respond well to other treatments or who have open heart surgery for other reasons.

Coronary bypass surgery. This procedure may improve blood flow to your heart.