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An arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) is a change in the heart’s sequence of electrical impulses.
Types of arrhythmias include:
- Atrial fibrillation (AFib): Upper heart chambers contract irregularly
- Ventricular fibrillation (VFib): Disorganized contraction of the lower chambers of the heart
- Palpitations: Heart rate is irregular
- Tachycardia: Heart rate is too fast (in adults, more than 100 beats per minute)
- Bradycardia: Heart rate is too slow (in adults, less than 60 beats per minute)
- Conduction disorders: The heart does not beat normally
- Premature contraction (PACs and PVCs): Early heartbeat
The main cause of arrhythmia is heart problems, such as:
- Heart attack
- Heart changes with age
- Congenital abnormality of the heart’s electrical system
- Inherited heart disease
Risk factors for developing arrythmia include:
- Older age
- Drinking alcohol in excess
- Being overweight/obese
- Viral illnesses such as severe coronavirus (COVID-19)
Triggers for arrhythmia include:
What Are Symptoms of Arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) may not cause symptoms or only minor symptoms such as feeling as if you skipped a heartbeat or feeling of fluttering in the chest or neck.
When symptoms of arrhythmia occur, they may include:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness, fainting, or near-fainting spells
- Rapid heartbeat or pounding in the chest
- Chest pain or pressure
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Anxiety
- In severe cases, collapse and sudden cardiac arrest
- Cardiac arrest is a serious medical emergency and can be fatal.
- If someone you know is experience any symptoms listed below call 911 and get to a hospital’s emergency department immediately.
- Sudden loss of responsiveness
- No normal breathing (not breathing at all or gasping for air)
See a doctor right away if you have an arrhythmia and:
- Chest pain
- Lightheadedness/fainting
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling in your leg
- Dizziness
- Symptoms persist or frequently return
- You have certain underlying medical conditions such as:
- Congestive heart failure
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart disease
- High blood pressure
How Is Arrhythmia Diagnosed?
Tests to diagnose the cause and type of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) include:
- Electrocardiogram (“ECG”)
- Echocardiogram (“echo”)
- Stress test (treadmill test)
- Electrophysiology test (EP study)
- Esophageal electrophysiologic procedure
- Tilt table test
- Diagnostic monitors
- Cardiac catheterization (“cardiac cath”)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the heart
- Computed tomography (CT) scan of the heart
- Blood tests: brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP)
What Is the Treatment for Arrhythmia?
Treatment for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) includes:
- Medications
- Antiarrhythmics
- Class I (fast sodium channel blockers)
- Class II (beta-blockers)
- Class III (potassium channel blockers)
- Class IV (calcium channel blockers)
- Class V (other)
- Anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin
- Antiarrhythmics
- Ablation
- Cardioversion
- Implantable devices
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
- Pacemakers
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https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia
https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Antiarrhythmic_drugs
https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/when-get-irregular-heartbeat-checked
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arrhythmia/