Arrhythmia

Also called: Irregular heartbeat

An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat. It means that your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern. When the heart beats faster than normal, it is called tachycardia. When the heart beats too slowly, it is called bradycardia. 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.

Symptoms of arrhythmias include

Fast or slow heart beat
Skipping beats
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Sweating

Your doctor can run tests to find out if you have an arrhythmia. Treatment to restore a normal heart rhythm may include medicines, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker, or sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Symptoms of Arrhythmia

The following features are indicative of Arrhythmia:

palpitations
irregular heartbeat
weakness
dizziness
anxiety
shortness of breath
chest pain
sweating
fainting

It is possible that Arrhythmia shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Arrhythmia

The following are the most common causes of Arrhythmia:

smoking
use of heavy alcohol
consumption of too much caffeine
heart attack
congenital heart defects
heart electrical signals may be blocked or slowed

Other Causes of Arrhythmia

The following are the less common causes of Arrhythmia:

strong emotional stress

Risk Factors for Arrhythmia

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Arrhythmia:

high blood pressure
diabetes
heart attack
heart failure
congenital heart defects
narrowed heart valves
overactive or underactive thyroid gland
infections
sleep apnea

Prevention of Arrhythmia

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Arrhythmia. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:

avoid smoking
healthy diet intake
intake low sodium diet
do yoga
do meditation
avoid alcohol consumption

Occurrence of Arrhythmia

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Arrhythmia cases seen each year worldwide:

Common between 1 - 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Arrhythmia can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Arrhythmia can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Arrhythmia

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Arrhythmia:

Electrocardiogram: To detect and record the heart's electrical activity
Holter monitor: To record the heart's electrical signals for a full 24- or 48-hour period
Event monitor: To record the heart's electrical activity at certain times
Blood test: To check the level of substances in the blood
Chest x ray: To view the pictures of the structures in the chest
Echocardiography: To identify areas of poor blood flow to the heart and to provide the information about the size and shape of the heart
Electrophysiology study: To assess serious arrhythmias
Tilt table testing: To find the cause of fainting spells
Coronary angiography: To view the inside of the coronary arteries
Implantable loop recorder: To detect the abnormal heart rhythms
Stress test: To diagnose when your heart is working hard and beating fast

Doctor for Diagnosis of Arrhythmia

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Arrhythmia:

Cardiologists
Pediatric cardiologists
Electrophysiologists

Complications of Arrhythmia if untreated

Yes, Arrhythmia causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Arrhythmia is left untreated:

stroke
heart failure
sudden cardiac death
may be life threatening

Procedures for Treatment of Arrhythmia

The following procedures are used to treat Arrhythmia:

Pacemakers: To treat abnormally slow heart rates
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator: To treat ventricular fibrillation
Cardioversion: To treat arrhythmias with a jolt of electricity to the heart
Transesophageal echocardiography: To make sure no blood clots are present in the atria
Catheter ablation: To treat some arrhythmias if medicines don't work
Maze surgery: To prevent the spread of disorganized electrical signals
Coronary artery bypass grafting: Improves blood flow to the heart muscle

Medicines for Arrhythmia

Below is the list of medicines used for Arrhythmia:

Atenolol

Brands:

Self-care for Arrhythmia

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Arrhythmia:

Avoid alcohol consumption
Maintain healthy weight: Lowers the risk of developing heart disease
Eating heart-healthy diet: Intake diet low in salt and solid fats to prevent heart arrhythmia
Quit smoking: Will keep your heart as healthy as possible

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Arrhythmia

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Arrhythmia:

Acupuncture: Reduces irregular heart rates in certain arrhythmias
Yoga and meditation: To reduce stress
Relaxation techniques: Helps to reduce stress

Patient Support for Treatment of Arrhythmia

The following actions may help Arrhythmia patients:

Support from friends and family: Helps in managing stress

Time for Treatment of Arrhythmia

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Arrhythmia to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision: