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An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm, such as beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly.
Alternative NamesDysrhythmias; Abnormal heart rhythms; Bradycardia; Tachycardia
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsNormally, your heart is able to pump blood out to your body without working any harder than is needed.
To help this happen, your heart has an electrical system that makes sure it contracts (squeezes) in an orderly way.
The electrical impulse that signals your heart to contract begins in the sinoatrial node (also called the sinus node or SA node). This is your heart's natural pacemaker.
- The signal leaves the SA node and travels through the two upper chambers (atria).
- Then the signal passes through another node (the AV node). Finally, it passes through the lower chambers (ventricles).
- Different nerve messages signal your heart to beat slower or faster.
Arrhythmias are caused by problems with the heart's electrical conduction system. Other areas of the electrical system may also send out signals. Other times, electrical signals are not able to move as easily or at all.
When an arrhythmia is present, your heartbeat may be:
- Too slow (bradycardia)
- Too quick (tachycardia)
- Irregular
Problems can occur anywhere along this conduction system, causing various arrhythmias. Examples include:
- Atrial fibrillation or flutter
- Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT)
- Heart block or atrioventricular block
- Multifocal atrial tachycardia
- Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
- Sick sinus syndrome
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Ventricular tachycardia -- a fast heart rate that originates in the lower chambers (ventricles)
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
The risk of getting a tachycardia or bradycardia varies greatly, depending on:
- Blood chemistry imbalances, such as abnormal potassium levels
- Cardiomyopathy-- a weakening of the heart muscle or a change in the heart muscle
- Heart failure
- Overactive thyroid gland
- Past heart attack
Arrhythmias may also be caused by some substances or drugs, including:
- Amphetamines
- Caffeine
- Cocaine
- Beta blockers
- Psychotropics
- Sympathomimetics
Sometimes anti-arrhythmic medications -- prescribed to treat one type of arrhythmia -- can actually cause another type of arrhythmia.
SymptomsAn arrhythmia may be present all of the time or it may come and go. You may or may not feel symptoms when the arrhythmia is present. Or, you may only notice symptoms when you are more active.
Symptoms can be very mild when present, or they may be severe or even life-threatening.
Common symptoms include:
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Fast or slow heartbeat (palpitations)
- Light-headedness, dizziness
- Paleness
- Shortness of breath
- Skipping beats - changes in the pattern of the pulse
- Sweating
The doctor will listen to your heart with a stethoscope and feel your pulse. Your blood pressure may be low or normal.
The following tests may be performed to identify arrhythmias:
- Ambulatory cardiac monitoring with a Holter monitor (used for 24 hours), event monitor, or loop recorder (worn for 2 weeks or longer)
- Coronary angiography
- ECG
- Echocardiogram
- Electrophysiology study (EPS)
If an arrhythmia is detected, various tests may be done to confirm or rule out suspected causes. EPS testing may be done to find the arrhythmia and determine the best treatment, especially if a pacemaker or catheter ablation procedure is being considered.
TreatmentWhen an arrhythmia is serious, you may need urgent treatment to restore a normal rhythm. This may include:
- Electrical "shock" therapy (defibrillation or cardioversion)
- Implanting a temporary pacemaker to interrupt the arrhythmia
- Medications given through a vein (intravenous)
Sometimes, getting better treatment for your angina or heart failure will decrease the chance of having an arrhythmia.
Medications may be used to prevent an arrhythmia from happening again, or to keep your heart rate from becoming too fast or too slow. These are called anti-arrhythmic drugs.
Some of these medicines can have side effects. Not all arrhythmias respond well to medications.
Cardiac ablationis a procedure used to destroy areas in your heart that may be causing your heart rhythm problems. Ablate means "to destroy."
An implantable cardiac defibrillator is placed in people who are at high risk of sudden cardiac death.
- You may need a defibrillator if you have had life-threatening bouts of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), or if your heart is weakened, too large, and does not pump blood very well.
- As soon as arrhythmia begins, the ICD sends a shock to stop it, or a burst of pacing.
Pacemakers may be used for people who have heart problems that cause their heart to beat too slowly (bradycardia). Some pacemakers can be used to stop a heart rate that is too fast (tachycardia) or irregular.
Expectations (prognosis)The outcome depends on several factors:
- The kind of arrhythmia -- whether it is supraventricular tachycardia, or a more dangerous arrhythmia such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation
- The overall pumping ability of the heart (ejection fraction)
- Whether you have heart disease (coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease) and how well it can be treated
Some types of arrhythmias may be life-threatening if not promptly and properly treated.
With bradycardias treated with a permanent pacemaker, the outlook is usually good.
Complications- Angina
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Sudden death
Call your health care provider if:
- You develop any of the symptoms of a possible arrhythmia
- You have been diagnosed with an arrhythmia and your symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment
Taking steps to prevent coronary artery disease may reduce your chance of developing an arrhythmia. These steps include:
- Eating a well-balanced, low-fat diet
- Exercising regularly
- Not smoking
Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA 3rd, Freedman RA, Gettes LS, et al. ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the ACC/AHA/NASPE 2002 Guideline Update for Implantation of Cardiac Pacemakers and Antiarrhythmia Devices): developed in collaboration with the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Circulation. 2008;117:e350-e408.
Hayes DL, Zipes DP. Cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 34.
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Doctors may prescribe various treatments for arrhythmia problems, medications, catheter ablation or even surgery. Common medications include the beta blockers metoprolol (brand names Toprol XL, Lopressor), atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), etc. Others include digoxin, diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia), which just like the beta blockers are primarily used to slow rapid heart rates. Antiarrhythmic medications designed to prevent the onset of a rapid rhythm include flecainide (Tambocor), amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dronederone (Multaq), sotalol (Betapace) and propafenone (Rhythmol). Catheter ablation is a heart procedure where long wires or catheters are inserted from a groin vein into the heart where heat energy is applied in an attempt to permanently cure a rapid arrhythmia. Rarely, open heart surgery similar to coronary bypass surgery is needed to allow for treatment of challenging arrhythmias such as refractory atrial fibrillation. Cardiac implanted electrical devices (CIEDs) include permanent pacemakers used to treat slow heart rhythms, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to treat life-threatening ventricular tachycardia (VT) and biventricular or cardiac resynchronization devices to treat both VT and heart failure.
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No. You can not get an arrhythmia from another person.
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Arrhythmia is the term for a medical ailment of the heart, so it is a noun.
ex. "The patient was admitted at 6:37 AM with arrhythmia and labored breathing."
ex. "What are the primary characteristics of arrhythmia?"
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That is the correct spelling of "arrhythmia" (irregular heartbeat).
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Arrhythmia, heart arrhythmia, see a doctor, heart arrhythmia can mean two things, heart attack or an anxiety attack
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Premature arrhythmia is preventable but everybody's heart stops at some point.
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This drug (a broad spectrum antibiotic) can change the QT interval and that can cause arrhythmia.
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The symbol for Arrhythmia Research Technology Inc. in the AMEX is: HRT.
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Cardiac arrhythmia refers to abnormal heart rhythm, as measured with an ECG. A "normal" rhythms is called a "Sinus Rhythm", as it originates in the Sinoatrial node of the heart. Any rhythm that originates elsewhere, or deviates from what is considered "normal" is an arrhythmia. There are many types of arrhythmia. On a cardiac monitor, if we see beats that are abnormal, we call the ectopy, or ectopic beats. But as far as a "term for arrhythmia"... that's the term: Arrhythmia.
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There is no cure for Arrhythmia. However, there are medications that can control it. Also, changing your lifestyle, such as eating healthier and exercising can help the condition. View http://www.mayoclinic.org/arrhythmia/treatment.html for more information.
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Arrhythmia is not a treatment, it is the medical condition of an irregular heartbeat. Common treatment include medicines and perhaps surgery
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The cast of Melancholy Cheese Arrhythmia - 2012 includes: Dana Raja
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Cardiac arrhythmia is usually fatal unless reversed by electric defibrillation. Cardiac arrhythmia is also sometimes referred to as ventricular fibrillation.
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Arrhythmia is a general term for any irregular heartbeat, while atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a specific type of arrhythmia where the heart's upper chambers beat irregularly and too fast.
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Fibrillation is an arrhythmia with rapid, chaotic contractions.
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As of July 2014, the market cap for Arrhythmia Research Technology Inc. (HRT) is $18,511,225.20
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The condition known as 'heart arrhythmia' applies to any abnormal heartbeat, including those that are too fast, too slow, or irregular. Detailed information about heart arrhythmia is available from MayoClinic and the American Heart Association.
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The cast of Arrhythmia - 2009 includes: Randy Brooks as Jackson Micheal Thomas as Bartender Deborah Venegas as Brooke
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Arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is a term used to describe an abnormal heart rhythm, where the heart may beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. It can be harmless or life-threatening, depending on the type and severity.
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Heart arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats too fast, too slow or irregularly. Most of the time heart arrhythmia is harmless, but in some cases it can be very bothersome or even fatal. It is important to work closely with you doctor to minimize risks.
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An arrhythmogenesis is an instance of the development or onset of arrhythmia.
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Almost Human - 2013 Arrhythmia 1-6 is rated/received certificates of:
USA:TV-14
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Almost Human - 2013 Arrhythmia 1-6 was released on:
USA: 16 December 2013
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The root of arrhythmia is "rhythm" which refers to a regular or normal heartbeat. The prefix is "a-" meaning without, and the suffix is "-ia" which denotes a condition or state.
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The work of August Desir Waller (1856-1922) and Willem Einthoven (1860-1927) revolutionized the study of arrhythmia with the advent of the electrocardiogram (ECG).
from
"A brief history of cardiac arrhythmia" by R. Ducas in Clinical and Investigative Medicine.
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Cardiac arrhythmia only needs to be treated if it is causing signigicant symptoms, or puts you at risk for a greater health problem. It can however be treated with medications, therapy, and overall knowledge from your doctor.
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No, atrial fibrillation (afib) is a specific type of arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat. Arrhythmia is a broader term that encompasses various types of irregular heart rhythms, while afib specifically refers to an irregular and often rapid heartbeat originating in the upper chambers of the heart.
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Arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat of a person.
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