Heart Arrhythmia

A heart arrhythmia ,arrhythmia heart rate is an irregularity in the rhythm of the heartbeat.

The first cardiac care unit was developed in the 1960s to monitor patients with heart-related arrhythmias. Arrhythmias heart is an erratic heartbeat that is too fast or too slow.

What Causes arrhythmia of the heart?

A heart attack patient may develop a number of complications including heart arrhythmias or Sinus .Arrhythmia is not the same as a heart attack but can be an injury sustained from having one. The possible causes of arrhythmia include a birth defect, a heart attack, drug overdose, inadequate blood flowing to the heart, or heart disease.

Symptoms of Heart Arrhythmias

Heart attacks frequently compromise the heart's electrical system, creating disturbances in the way the heart beats. The symptoms of arrhythmia include dizziness, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, heart fluttering or throbbing, slow heartbeat, rapid heartbeat, and fainting. In some cases, there may be no apparent signs of the disorder.

How is Heart Arrhythmia diagnosed?

Your physician will order a battery of diagnostic tests to test your heart, blood, and stress levels. The doctor may also order drug-screening tests. Drug abuse is potentially an underlying cause of arrhythmia.

In some instances, the heartbeats erratically and too rapid, this is called tachycardia. A person with this condition may experience discomforts such as a pounding in the chest and have difficulty catching their breath.

At times, a patch of dead tissue obstructs the electrical passageway along the heart. This interrupts the electrical impulse, which normally makes the heart beat. In this case, the heartbeat becomes erratic and very slow, which is called bradycardia.

An example of severe cardiac heart arrhythmia is called ventricular fibrillation, which can be life threatening. This condition is the rapid uncontrolled contraction of the left ventricle. It is most likely to occur in the initial days following a heart attack.

Treatment of Arrhythmia

To correct and treat abnormal heart rhythmus, doctors usually prescribe medicines that are administered intravenously or taken orally. If prescribed medications do not improve the medical condition effectively, or if the arrhythmia becomes life threatening, doctors may turn to defibrillation for corrective treatment.

If an arrhythmia does not respond to treatments but is not life threatening, the doctor may decide to use cardioversion to try to nudge the heart back into a natural rhythm. Cardioversion is the use of an electric shock to convert a fluttering, dangerously rapid, and ineffective heartbeat to its normal pattern.

Cardioversion involves the use of a machine called a cardioverter, which supplies electric shocks to the heart at regular intervals. The shocks are milder than those given using defibrillators.

Sometimes a pacemaker is implanted below the patient's skin to treat arrhythmia. Pacemakers act similar to a spark plug for the heart. It provides an electric impulse at a stable pace to maintain a steady heartbeat.

Pacemakers are often temporary solutions but may become necessary on a permanent basis. Digitalis compounds and beta-blockers may be used as a treatment for arrhythmia after a patient has suffered a heart attack. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate and decrease blood pressure. They can help prevent ventricular fibrillation, a potentially serious health complication.Family and friends are an important source of support for leading a healthy and full life. Learn the steps you can take to prevent heart disease and the best solution for treating heart arrhythmia for yourself or a loved one.

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