An arrhythmia is a change in the rhythm of your heartbeat. Your heart may beat too fast (tachycardia) or too slow (bradycardia). Your heartbeat may be irregular. This occurs if your heart skips a beat or has an extra beat. Arrhythmias are common. For most people, they are minor and not serious. However, they can be severe or life-threatening. Arrhythmias are more serious if you have other heart problems.
There are several types of arrhythmias. The type that starts in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) can be worse than those that start in the upper chambers (atria).
- Atrialfibrillation:Your heart beats irregularly and too fast. This type requires treatment. It can increase your risk of stroke.
- Paroxysmal atrial tachycardia:Your heart has episodes of beating too fast. This may cause discomfort. It is not severe.
- Ectopic beats:Your heart has an extra beat. Seek treatment if you have several extra beats in a row and/or other problems with your heart. Examples include heart disease and congenital heart disease.
- Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation:The heart beats too fast. It may not pump enough These types are severe and require immediate treatment.
Sometimes, people feel their heart race or skip a beat. These can be brought on by strong emotions or exercise. They usually are not a cause for alarm. Talk to your doctor if you have symptoms. You may have an arrhythmia or other heart problem. Possible signs of a more serious problem include:
- Palpitations or rapid thumping in your chest.
- Feeling tired or light-headed.
- Passing out.
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain.
Get care right away if symptoms occur and you have a history of heart disease or heart attacks.
Your heart has 4 sections, or chambers. The walls of your heart squeeze together (contract) to push blood through the chambers. Electrical signals in your heart’s natural “pacemaker” (sinoatrial node) control these. Nerve impulses and hormones in your blood affect the rate of contractions. A problem in any of these areas can cause an arrhythmia.
Heart disease is the most common cause of the more serious forms of arrhythmias. Arrhythmias can be caused by congenital heart disease (CHD), abnormal heart valve function, and heart failure. Minor arrhythmias may be caused by other factors. These include alcohol , smoking, caffeine, stress, or exercise. Arrhythmias also can occur for no known reason.
Your doctor will do a physical exam and review your symptoms. He or she will ask about your heart and health history. Your doctor will do tests. This includes an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). During this test, you will lie down and the doctor will monitor your heartbeat.
Your doctor may do an exercise or stress test. This consists of monitoring your heart while you walk on a treadmill. You may be given medications to speed up your heartbeat. This can help detect underlying heart disease.
Another way to track your heart is to wear a machine called a Holter monitor. It records your heart’s rhythms for 24 hours. If your doctor wants to monitor your heart for more than 24 hours, he or she may give you an event recorder. It records samples of your heart’s rhythms for a couple of days or more. The doctor may run other tests to provide information about your heart.
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