This article is reviewed, corrected, and approved by: Dr. Joshua Collins M.D. | MRCP। FRCP
How does your Heart beat? Electrical current runs through your heart. Your heart generates a pulse from a clump of tissue in its upper chambers (atrium). However, a person may sometimes have a fast or slow heart rate or skipped beat or extra beat.
Sleeping or exercising increases the heart rate. A fast or erratic heartbeat can be managed or eliminated with medications, catheters, instruments, or surgery. Healthy lifestyles can lower the risk.
What Is Heart Arrhythmia?
From the upper right chamber, the electrical signal or pulse passes to the upper left chamber. During its passage through chambers, it causes the Heart to contract in sync.
Heart arrhythmias (uh-RITH-me-uhs) are irregular heartbeats. A heart arrhythmia results from abnormal electrical signals. Bad signaling results in too fast, too slow, or irregular heartbeats.
Heart arrhythmias come in a variety. Other arrhythmias are dangerous, while most are harmless. Symptoms of some heart arrhythmias can be bothersome and even life-threatening.
Signs Of Heart Arrhythmia
It is possible that no symptoms are associated with heart arrhythmias. When your doctor examines you for another health reason, they may notice your irregular heartbeat.
Arrhythmia symptoms include:
- Chest flutters
- Heart rate slow
- Fast heartbeat
- Pain or pressure in the chest when lying down on the back
- Back Pain And Headache
- Breathing Issues
- Chest Pain At Night
You may also experience:
- Feeling dizzy and anxious
- Fainting symptoms but didn't faint.
- Tired
- Exhaust
- Diarrhea or lightheadedness
Types Of Heart Arrhythmias
Heart arrhythmias are generally characterized by their heart rate.
Two types of Heart Arrhythmias:
- Tachycardia - is a fast heart. Over 100 bpm are present in the heart.
- Bradycardia - a slow heartbeat. Approximately 60 beats per minute is the heart rate.
Fast Heartbeat
The main segments of a fast heartbeat are given below:
Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
During an event of chaotic heart signalling, you will feel a rapid pace of heartbeat that will not be coordinated. Mostly, this dangerous arrhythmia occurs from cardiac dieases. It causes a quick, trembling pulse in the heart. This phenomenon increases the risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Some Atrial fibrillation symptoms will run further if you don’t seek treatment.
Atrial flutter
It has organized heartbeats. Atrial flutter is linked to strokes.
Fast supraventricular beats
In cardiac arrhythmias, supraventricular tachycardia refers to arrhythmias starting above the lower chambers of the Heart - ventricles. Sudden episodes of palpitated heartbeats occur in supraventricular tachycardia.
Ventricular fibrillation
Heart arrhythmias occur when blood cannot be circulated properly. The problem can lead to death if not treated within minutes. Serious injuries in the heart can cause ventricular fibrillation and it is very common.
Ventricular Arrhythmias
An abnormal electrical signal in the lower heart chamber causes a rapid heart rate. Exercise, stress, anxiety, and fever can cause this.
Heart failure occurs when the body does not receive enough blood. Patients with heart disease may require immediate medical attention if they experience ventricular tachycardia.
Slow heartbeat (Bradycardia)
Even though a low resting heart rate is considered bradycardia, it is not always a warning sign. If you are physically healthy, even if your heart beats fewer than 60 bpm at rest, it could still be able to pump blood to your body.
Having a slow heart rate and not pumping enough blood may indicate bradycardia. It can be caused by health problems or certain medications.
Reasons for Arrhythmias
Arrhythmias can be caused by the following:
- Heart disease.
- Muscle of the heart gets deformed.
- Valve problems.
- Deficiencies in sodium or potassium.
- Previous history of a heart attack.
- Post Cardiac operation.
- Other miscellaneous health problems.
Lifestyle-Related Risk Factors For Arrhythmias
Lifestyle changes can be made to prevent arrhythmias by changing these arrhythmia risk factors.
- Smokers should quit smoking.
- Limit your consumption of alcohol. Too much alcohol may weaken the Heart.
- Limit the using caffeine.
- Don't take stimulants. (Stimulants are generally seen as an ingredient of cough medicines)
- Managing high blood pressure.
- Getting to a healthy weight can lower your risk for arrhythmia if you have obesity.
- Control blood sugar levels. Treatment of sleep apnea can help to reduce heart problems.
How Is An Arrhythmia Diagnosed?
A cardiologist or cardiac electrophysiologist should be consulted if you experience symptoms of an arrhythmia. The cardiologist may perform a chest pain differential diagnosis along with a variety of diagnostic tests once you have been assessed for symptoms and undergone a physical examination to determine whether you are experiencing an arrhythmia.
Some basic diagnosing processes are:
- ECG or EKG
- EPS
- Stress test
- Tilt table test
- Ambulatory monitors
When Should You See A Doctor?
Occasionally abnormal heartbeat can be normal. But if you had a previous heart attack, a family history of heart failure, or cardiac sarcoidosis, then the chance of increased risk of stroke. If you have these mentioned symptoms, you need treatment.
If your heart races or skips a few beats, see your physician for advice. Moreover, you should see a doctor if your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or skips a beat. When you experience abnormal heart rhythm, breathing problems, dizziness, fainting or near fainting, chest pain or distress, seek medical attention immediately.
Blood pressure can drop dramatically during ventricular fibrillation. A person can collapse in seconds and soon stop breathing and pulsing. Call the emergency number in your area or 911.
Some Statistics About Heart Arrhythmias
Conclusion
Blood is oxygenated on both sides of the heart's chambers. Maintaining a healthy heart is crucial. But it is mandatory.
Before having congestive heart failure, you should start your treatments. Treatments will be given on the gravity of heart problems.
You need medications and drugs. Radiation frequency energy is used to destroy small areas of abnormal heart tissue during minimally invasive cardiac ablation procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What are the signs of a healthy heart?
Answer 1: A standard heart rate.
- Normal breathing
- A healthy heart is linked to good oral health.
- Normal blood pressure.
Question 2: How serious is heart arrhythmia?
Answer 2: Some arrhythmias can be life-threatening or can cause sudden death. Most are harmless. An irregular heartbeat may stop the human heart from blood circulation. It is possible to suffer from serious symptoms of arrhythmias that can adversely affect your ability to function.
Question 3: Can arrhythmia cause death?
In most cases, ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening arrhythmia. In this position, your heart cannot pump blood. It only takes minutes for you to die without treatment.
Question 4: Why does my chest hurt when I lie down?
Answer 4: If you have pain, swelling, and tenderness around your ribs, then the pain is aggravated by lying down. This is caused Inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and breastbone is the cause of this disease.
Question 5: What Is Cardiac Arrest?
Answer 5: As a result of irregular heart rhythm, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs when all heart activity is suddenly lost. Suddenly, the person becomes unconscious. If you don't get treatment right away for a sudden cardiac event, you might die.