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Arrhythmias
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Arrhythmias
An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. If you have an arrhythmia, your heart may beat faster or slower than others without arrhythmia. There are several different conditions might cause your heart to beat abnormally, and treatment depends on the cause. Talk to your healthcare provider if you feel like your heart is racing, if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, or you have chest pain.
What is an arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia) is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat.
What are the types of arrhythmias?
- Supraventricular arrhythmias: Arrhythmias that begin in the atria (the heart’s upper chambers). “Supra” means above. “Ventricular” refers to the lower chambers of the heart or ventricles.
- Ventricular arrhythmias: Arrhythmias that begin in the ventricles (the heart’s lower chambers).
- Bradyarrhythmias: Slow heart rhythms that may be caused by disease in the heart’s conduction system, such as the sinoatrial (SA) node, atrioventricular (AV) node or HIS-Purkinje network.
What are the symptoms of an arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia may be “silent” and not cause any symptoms. A doctor can find an irregular heartbeat during an examination by taking your pulse, listening to your heart or performing diagnostic tests. If symptoms occur, they may include:
- ++Palpitations++: A feeling of skipped heartbeat or that your heart is “running away,” fluttering or doing “flip-flops.”
- Pounding in your chest.
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded.
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest discomfort.
- Weakness or fatigue (feeling very tired).
- Weakening of the heart muscle or low ejection fraction.
What causes arrhythmias?
Arrhythmias can be caused by:
- Coronary artery disease.
- Irritable tissue in the heart (due to genetic or acquired causes).
- High blood pressure.
- Changes in the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
- Valve disorders.
- Electrolyte imbalances in your blood, such as sodium or potassium imbalances.
- Injury from a heart attack.
- The healing process after heart surgery.
- Other medical conditions.
How is an arrhythmia diagnosed?
Some tests that may be done to confirm the presence of an irregular heart rhythm include:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): A picture of the electrical impulses traveling through the heart muscle. An ECG is recorded on graph paper, through the use of electrodes (small, sticky patches) that are attached to your skin on the chest, arms and legs.
- Ambulatory Monitors: such as the Holter monitor.
- Stress test: A test used to record arrhythmias that start or are worsened with exercise. This test also may be helpful to determine if there is underlying heart disease or coronary artery disease associated with an arrhythmia.
- Echocardiogram: A type of ultrasound used to provide a view of the heart to determine if there is heart muscle or valve disease that may be causing an arrhythmia. This test may be performed at rest or with activity.
- Cardiac catheterization: Using a local anesthetic, a catheter (small, hollow, flexible tube) is inserted into a blood vessel and guided to the heart with the help of an X-ray machine. A contrast dye is injected through the catheter so X-ray movies of your coronary arteries, heart chambers and valves may be taken. This test helps your doctor determine if the cause of an arrhythmia is coronary artery disease. This test also provides information about how well your heart muscle and valves are working.
- Electrophysiology study(EPS): A special heart catheterization that evaluates your heart’s electrical system. Catheters are inserted into your heart to record the electrical activity. The EPS is used to find the cause of the abnormal rhythm and determine the best treatment for you. During the test, the arrhythmia can be safely reproduced and terminated.
- Tilt table test (also called a passive head-up tilt test or head upright tilt test): Records your blood pressure and heart rate on a minute-by-minute basis while the table is tilted in a head-up position at different levels. The test results may be used to evaluate heart rhythm, blood pressure and sometimes other measurements as you change position.