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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 diagnosed through a series of tests to determine the cause and type of the arrhythmia and to work out if it is serious (and life threatening) or just an abnormality that is not going to cause adverse health effects.
Electrocardiography (ECG)
The most common (and main) test for arrhythmia is the electrocardiography (ECG). The ECG shows how the electrical impulses in the heart are working; during an ECG, small patches are places on various parts of the chest, arms and legs, to which electrical leads (from an ECG machine) are attached; this records the electrical activity of the heart over a specific period to determine arrhythmia activity.
There are three types of ECG tests that can be performed:
- Resting ECG - this ECG test is usually performed when a person is resting and lasts only a few minutes. A number of attachments from an ECG machine are put on various parts of the body to do a quick, preliminary test of the electrical activity of the heart
- Holter ECG monitor - a special ECG monitor which has electrical leads that are attached (glued) to various parts of the body is worn under clothing for 24 hours to record heart rhythm while a person just goes about their normal daily acclivities. The person also needs to record their activities of the day. This is one of the best ways to determine the cause of arrhythmia as it gives a very good indication on any triggers of the arrhythmia
- Stress ECG - an ECG machine is used to determine the heart's activity during exercise (usually while a person is on a tread mill or exercise bike). A set of leads are attached to certain part of the body and the person is required to run on a treadmill (or ride an exercise bike) for a specified amount of time to increase heart rate by putting pressure on it through exercise, to determine if there are any problems with the heart and if these problems can be viewed on the electrical activity of the heart on the ECG
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Echocardiogram
This is basically an ultrasound of the heart and is the next most common diagnostic test to rule out structural problems with the heart that may be causing the arrhythmia.
A special ultrasound machine called an echocardiogram is used in a similar way as a regular ultrasound machine. A special rod (covered in some gel to help it roll over the chest area) is used to get a picture of the heart - the atria, ventricles and other parts - to determine if there are any structural problems of the heart, including blockages, that may be causing the arrhythmia.
Electrophysiology studies
This is done to work out what is going on in the heart to cause the arrhythmias; during this test, special thin tubes are inserted into a large vein (usually in the legs) and taken up to the heart in order to record the heart's electrical impulses and test the heart's response to stimulus.
Tilt table studies
This test is done to determine if there are sudden drops in blood pressure or slow pulse rates when the person is strapped to a table, hooked up to an electrocardiogram and blood pressure monitor and tilted at different angle in quick succession. The electrocardiogram will provide electrical activity of the heart and the blood pressure monitor will provide blood pressure results at the different tilts.
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