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- What is arrhythmia?
- Symptoms of arrhythmia
- Causes of arrhythmia
- Prevention of arrhythmia
- Risk factors for arrhythmia
- Complications of arrhythmia
- When to see a doctor about arrhythmia
- Diagnosis of arrhythmia
- Conventional treatment of arrhythmia
- Alternative/complementary treatment of arrhythmia
- Living with arrhythmia
- Caring for someone with arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (heart rhythm) in which the heart can beat too fast, too slow or just irregularly (the heart skips a beat or races fast). Arrhythmias are categorised by which part of the heart they affect (atria or ventricles) and by their impact on heart rhythm.
Tachycardia (fast heart beat)
Tachycardia is a fast heart beat, of more than 100 beats per minute, which is not normal. There are a few different types of tachycardia:
- Long QT syndrome - this is a rare congenital (inherited) heart condition which is associated with a long pause in the QT interval which is the time it takes for the heart muscles to contract and then recover. The long QT interval increases the risk for life threatening ventricular tachycardia. People with long QT syndrome often experience tachycardia arrhythmia symptoms during exercise or with intense emotions. Long QT syndrome is one of the main causes of sudden death in young people. Long QT syndrome may be acquired through other means (certain medications mainly)
- Multifocal atrial tachycardia - this type of tachycardia occurs when multiple electrical impulses fire off at the same time in the heart which causes the heart to beat too fast (100-250 beats per minute). This tachycardia is most common in people over 50 and those with lung conditions
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) - this is a condition which involves both the ventricles and atria (all four chambers of the heart) and involves episodes of very fast heart beats that start and end without any reason. The SVTs may be due to extra electrical connections between the atria and ventricles and can be difficult to control without surgery
- Ventricular tachycardia - a condition which involves rapid heart beat originating in the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) and is the cause of most heart failure as it is usual fatal if it happens to a person - this is a serious and life threatening condition
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome - this is a special type of supraventricular tachycardia and is one of the most common causes of tachycardia (fast heart beat) in children and infants. In people with this type of tachycardia, there is an extra connection between the atria and ventricles, which causes a specific electrical impulse which can be viewed on an electrocardiogram
Bradycardia (slow heart beat)
Bradycardia is an abnormally slow heart heat, of less than 60 beats per minute. There are a few different types of bradycardia:
- Heart block (or A-V block) - in this bradycardia arrhythmia there is a dysfunction in the way the heartbeat is triggered from the sinus node to the ventricles. There are three degrees of heart (A-V) block, ranging from a slowed electrical response to no response at all. The heart may beat irregularly or more slowly depending on the degree of the heart (A-V) block
- Sinus node dysfunction - this occurs when the sinus node is impaired, which causes a heat rate of 50 beats per minute or less. The sinus node is the heart's natural pacemaker, responsible for controlling heart rhythm, so if it is impaired in any way, it may not be able to fire its signal for the heartbeat, so it could cause this condition. Sometimes the dysfunction of the sinus node can cause heart rate to speed up and alternate between slow and fast heart beat The most common cause of sinus node dysfunction is scar tissue that has developed in the area of the sinus node, which may eventually replace the sinus node. This condition is also known as sick sinus syndrome
Fibrillation (irregular heart beat)
Fibrillation is an irregular heart beat and is the most common arrhythmia in people over 75. There are a few different types of fibrillation:
- Atrial fibrillation - this causes a very fast and irregular heartbeat, which causes the atria (upper chambers of the heart) to contract abnormally or not at all. The atria quiver or fibrillate (like worms jiggling around) during atrial fibrillation. In this condition, the heartbeat is triggered in different parts of the atria instead of the sinus node (where it should be triggered). Atrial fibrillation is very common in people with heart disease and older people. The abnormal and irregular heartbeat that occurs in atrial fibrillation causes the blood to be unable to be pumped out of the heart properly, which means blood clots can form inside the heart
- Atrial flutter - causes a "fluttering" effect on heart beat, due to overactive electrical activity in the atria to make the heart beat too fast for a short time. This type of arrhythmia happens due to an abnormal loop of electricity in the atria
- Ventricular fibrillation - this type of fibrillation causes electrical signals in the heart to fire off very erratically and this causes the ventricles to quiver and to stop pumping blood. This is a life threatening condition - if the person with this condition does not receive medical attention immediately, they could die
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Abnormal, but not dangerous arrhythmias
Some arrhythmias are just an occasional abnormal heart beat which occur in normal, healthy adults, do not signify an underlying problem with the heart and are not serious:
- Premature ventricular contraction - in this condition, an electrical impulse originating in the the ventricles triggers an early heartbeat and then the heart seems to pause before it beats normally again. This type of arrhythmia is commonly seen in normal and healthy adults without any underlying heart disease
- Sinus tachycardia - the sinus node sends out an electrical impulse to make the heart beat fast. This type of fast heartbeat happens during physical exertion such as exercise and is considered normal
- Premature supraventricular (or atria) contraction - this occurs when there are extra or premature beats that cause an irregular heartbeat. The irregular heartbeats can start in the atria (upper chamber of the heart) and are called premature atrial contractions (PAC) and the irregular heartbeats that start in the ventricles are called premature supraventricular contractions (PSC). This type of irregular heartbeat are quite common and are considered to be a benign condition
These above types of arrhythmias do not have any serious health implications nor do they have an impact on the ability of a person to have a normal life.
Some facts about arrhythmia
- Ventricular arrhythmias are caused by heart disease and can be very serious
- Arrhythmias can occur in normal, healthy adults and have no serious underlying conditions and are considered to be benign
- Some arrhythmias are so serious and life threatening, that they can be fatal
- Arrhythmias are generally associated with other types of heart disease
- To reduce risk of heart disease, people are recommended to eat properly, exercise, stop smoking, maintain healthy body weight and take medication as prescribed
- Some arrhythmias, are a signal of a serious heart problem and should be thoroughly investigated before they cause further serious health problems
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome occurs in about four out of every 100,000 people and is one of the most common causes of fast heart rate (tachycardia) in infants and children
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2: symptoms of arrhythmia > Last reviewed: 27 October 2007 || Last updated: 9 January 2009
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NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
