Arrhythmia is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat, in which case the heartbeat becomes abnormal. This condition is also called dysrhythmia. Our heart maintains the smooth flow of blood in the body by beating, due to which our physical and mental development continues without any hindrance. But, when the heartbeat becomes abnormal then a person may have to face many physical problems. In the present article, detailed information has been given on this subject, with the help of which you can know about this serious condition.
Our normal heartbeat is called sinus rhythm. A normal sinus rate is between 60 and 100 per minute. It can go up to 100 per minute during exercise and can go up to 50 per minute during sleep.
There are three types of cardiac arrhythmias:-
The arrhythmia starts in the upper chambers of the heart ie atria. In this type of arrhythmia, "supra" means above and "ventricular" refers to the lower chambers of the heart or ventricles.
In this type of arrhythmia, the problem starts in the lower chambers of the heart i.e. the ventricles.
Bradyarrhythmia is a type of heart arrhythmia. It is characterised by an abnormally slow and irregular heartbeat. This could be a warning sign of an underlying heart health problem or another serious health issue.
Just as there are three types of heart arrhythmia, in the same way there are different types of each heart arrhythmia type, which are explained in detail below.
Supraventricular arrhythmias that start in the atria or the upper chambers of your heart are:
This fast but regular heart rhythm or beats that comes from the atria. This type of arrhythmia begins suddenly and ends suddenly.
These are rapid heartbeats caused by an additional, abnormal electrical pathway or connection between the atria and ventricles. These impulses travel through additional routes as well as through the normal route. This allows impulses to move around your heart very quickly, causing it to beat abnormally fast.
AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is a rapid heart rhythm caused by the presence of more than one pathway through the atrioventricular (AV) node.
This is a rapid heart rhythm that begins in the atria.
This is a very common irregular heart rhythm. This occurs when multiple impulses begin and spread through the atria, competing for the opportunity to travel through the AV node. This results in a disorganized fast and irregular rhythm. Since impulses are traveling through the atria in a disorganized manner, there is a loss of coordinated atrial contraction.
Atrial arrhythmias are caused by one or more rapid circuits in the atria. Atrial flutter is usually more systematic and regular than atrial fibrillation.
Ventricular arrhythmias start in the ventricles of the heart which are of the following types:-
The early, extra heartbeat that begins in the ventricles. Most of the time, PVCs don't cause any symptoms or require treatment. This type of arrhythmia is common and may be related to stress, too much caffeine or nicotine, or exercise. They can also be caused by heart disease or electrolyte imbalance. People who have multiple PVCs and/or their associated symptoms should be evaluated by a cardiologist (heart doctor).
This rapid heartbeat starts in the ventricles. The rapid rhythm prevents the heart from filling with blood adequately, and less blood is able to be pumped through the body. V-tach can be serious, especially in people with heart disease, and may be associated with more symptoms than other types of arrhythmia. A cardiologist should evaluate this condition.
This is an erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the ventricles. In this, the ventricles quiver and cannot produce an effective contraction, resulting in a loss of blood to your body. This is a medical emergency that should be treated with CPR and defibrillation as soon as possible.
Although it is not an arrhythmia, it can give someone a premonition of having one. The QT interval is the area on the ECG that represents the time it takes for the heart muscle to contract and then recover, or to fire an electrical impulse and then recharge. When the QT interval is longer than normal, it increases the risk of "torsade de pointes," a life-threatening form of ventricular tachycardia.
Some people with heart valve disease show no symptoms of arrhythmia for many years. Over time its signs and symptoms may appear:-
Whooshing sound heard on listening to the heart with a stethoscope
chest pain
Abdominal bloating (more common with advanced tricuspid regurgitation)
being more tired than usual
shortness of breath, especially when lying down
swelling of ankles and feet
Dizziness
fainting
feel irregular heartbeat
blood pressure problems
shortness of breath
If you feel that your heartbeat is becoming irregular, see a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will first examine it with a stethoscope, in case of doubt, he may ask you to get some of the following tests done so that the doubt can be clarified: -
Echocardiography
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Chest X-ray
Cardiac MRI
Exercise tests or stress tests
Cardiac catheterization
In addition to the above tests, the doctor may suggest other tests depending on the situation, such as regular blood pressure and diabetes tests.
This site is dedicated to people with heart rhythm (arrhythmia) problems, and explores the treatment options available to them. It has been written by Dr. Manoj Godara is a Cardiologist and has an experience of 9 years in this field. He completed MD - General Medicine from Institute of Medical Sciences, Varansasi in 2010 and DM - Cardiology from CSJM University, Kanpur in 2014. Many patients have contributed their experiences on this website, thereby making it more interactive in the process.
Looking for the best doctor for heart arrhythmia treatments in Jaipur? Dr. Manoj Godara is one Jaipur's leading doctor who specializes in cardiac rhythm management and treatment of arrhythmias. Dr. Godara has been practicing medicine for over 37 years and is highly rated in 18 conditions, according to our patients. His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Ventricular Tachycardia, Bidirectional Tachycardia, Pacemaker Implantation, and Cardiac Ablation. Dr. Godara is currently accepting new patients. We provide a full range of heart treatments in Jaipur for cardiac arrhythmias. Patients from around the world trust our expert-level, specialist care.
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