Free Arrhythmia App

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Ina typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal. The signal then travels through the atria to the atrioventricular (AV) node and then passes into the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump out blood.

A heart arrhythmia (uh-RITH-me-uh) is an irregular heartbeat. A heart arrhythmia occurs when the electrical signals that tell the heart to beat don't work properly. The heart may beat too fast or too slow. Or the pattern of the heartbeat may be inconsistent.

Heart arrhythmia treatment may include medicines, devices such as pacemakers, or a procedure or surgery. The goals of treatment are to control or get rid of fast, slow or otherwise irregular heartbeats. A heart-healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart damage that can trigger some heart arrhythmias.

A heart rate below 60 beats a minute is considered bradycardia. But a low resting heart rate doesn't always mean there's a problem. If you're physically fit, your heart may be able to pump enough blood to the body with less than 60 beats a minute.

Premature heartbeats are extra beats that occur one at a time, sometimes in patterns that alternate with a regular heartbeat. If the extra beats come from the top chamber of the heart, they are called premature atrial contractions (PACs). If they come from the bottom chamber, they are called premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).

A premature heartbeat may feel like your heart skipped a beat. These extra beats are generally not a concern. They rarely mean you have a more serious condition. Still, a premature beat can trigger a longer lasting arrhythmia, especially in people with heart disease. Occasionally, having very frequent premature ventricular beats may lead to a weak heart.

If you feel like your heart is beating too fast or too slow, or it's skipping a beat, make an appointment for a health checkup. You may be told to see a doctor trained in heart diseases, called a cardiologist.

A type of arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure. This can cause the person to fall to the ground within seconds, also called collapse. Soon the person's breathing and pulse will stop. Ventricular fibrillation is an emergency that needs immediate medical help. It's the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac death.

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The heart's electrical system controls the heartbeat. The heart's electrical signals start in a group of cells at the top of the heart called the sinus node. They pass through a pathway between the upper and lower heart chambers called the atrioventricular (AV) node. The movement of the signals causes the heart to squeeze and pump blood.

Blood-thinning medicines can lower the risk of stroke related to atrial fibrillation and other heart arrhythmias. If you have a heart arrhythmia, ask a healthcare professional if you need to take a blood thinner.

Arrhythmias can be an emergency, or they can be harmless. If you feel something unusual happening with your heartbeat, get medical help right away so doctors can find out why it's happening and what you need to do about it.

Doctors also group them by how they affect your resting heart rate. Bradycardia is a slow heartbeat of fewer than 60 beats per minute. Tachycardia is a fast heartbeat of more than 100 beats per minute.

This type of arrhythmia refers to a slow heart rhythm, which can be caused by your heart's electrical system disorders or by certain medications. It may make you pass out or feel like you will. Types of bradyarrhythmia include:

This device sends small electrical impulses to your heart muscle to keep a safe heart rate. It includes a pulse generator (which houses the battery and a tiny computer) and wires that send impulses to the heart muscle.

The ICDconstantly tracks your heart rhythm. When it detects a very fast, unusual rhythm, it delivers an electric shock to the heart muscle to make it beat in a regular rhythm again. The ICD has two parts: the leads and a pulse generator. The leads are made up of wires and sensors that monitor the heart rhythm and deliver energy used for pacing or defibrillation. The generator houses the battery and a tiny computer. Energy is stored in the battery until it is needed. The computer receives information from the leads to determine how the heart is beating.

Your doctor will determine which type of ICD is best for you. Before you have your ICD implanted, ask your doctor what medications you can take. Your doctormay ask you to stop taking certain medications before the procedure. You will receive specific instructions.

If you have no symptoms and you haven't had any serious heart rhythm problems, you should be able to drive as you always have. If meds keep your arrhythmia under control, your doctor may give you the green light to drive, too.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator: Usually after you get an ICD, you'll be asked not to drive for a week. If you get an ICD after fainting or surviving cardiac arrest, you may have to wait several months before you get back behind the wheel.

If you notice irregular heartbeats or other arrhythmia symptoms, see your doctor right away. Some arrhythmias are more serious than others, and the condition can have many different causes. Be open and honest with your doctor about your lifestyle and other health conditions so that you can find the treatment that's right for you.

An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat. It means that your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern. When the heart beats faster than normal, it is called tachycardia. When the heart beats too slowly, it is called bradycardia. The most common type of arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular and fast heart beat.

Your doctor can run tests to find out if you have an arrhythmia. Treatment to restore a normal heart rhythm may include medicines, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or pacemaker, or sometimes surgery.

Learn how the heart uses electrical impulses to manage the speed and rhythm of every heartbeat. When there is a problem with this system, it is called an arrhythmia. Medical Illustration Copyright 2021 Nucleus Medical Media, All rights reserved.

It is normal for your heart rate to speed up during physical activity and to slow down while resting or sleeping. It is also normal to feel as if your heart skips a beat occasionally. But a frequent irregular rhythm may mean that your heart is not pumping enough blood to your body. You may feel dizzy, faint, or have other symptoms.

Arrhythmias are treatable with medicine or procedures to control the irregular rhythms. If not treated, arrhythmias can damage the heart, brain, or other organs. This can lead to life-threatening stroke, heart failure, or cardiac arrest. During cardiac arrest, the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, causing death if it is not treated within minutes.

If you have been diagnosed with an arrhythmia, your doctor may talk to you about healthy lifestyle changes you can make. You may need to avoid activities that may trigger your arrhythmia. These steps may help prevent your arrhythmia from getting worse.

When the heart doesn't beat properly, it can't pump blood effectively. When this happens, the lungs, brain and all other organs can't work properly and may shut down or be damaged. View an animation of arrhythmia.

Each valve has a set of flaps (also called leaflets or cusps). The mitral valve has two flaps; the others have three. Blood flow occurs only when there's a difference in pressure across the valves, which causes them to open. Under normal conditions, the valves allow blood to flow in only one direction.

The heart pumps blood to the lungs and to all the body's tissues by a sequence of highly organized contractions of the four chambers. For the heart to function properly, the four chambers must beat in an organized way.

The heart beat (contraction) begins when an electrical impulse from the sinus node (also called SA node) moves through the heart's muscle tissue. The SA node is sometimes referred to as the heart's "natural pacemaker" because it starts the impulses for the heartbeat.

The normal electrical sequence begins in the right atrium and spreads throughout the atria to the atrioventricular (AV) node. From the AV node, electrical impulses travel down the Bundle of His and through the Purkinje fibers causing the ventricles to contract.

Some arrhythmias are so brief (such as a temporary pause or premature beat) the overall heart rate or rhythm isn't greatly affected. But if arrhythmias last longer, they may make the heart rate too slow, too fast or erratic so the heart pumps less effectively.

Normally, the heart's most rapidly firing cells are in the sinus node, making that area a natural pacemaker. Under some conditions, almost all heart tissue can start an impulse of the type that can generate a heartbeat.

Ventricular fibrillation (VFib) is an irregular heart rhythm consisting of rapid, uncoordinated, and fluttering contractions of the ventricles. The ventricles of the lower chamber do not pump blood but quiver instead.

Long QT syndrome refers to a heart rhythm disorder that a person is born with. It sometimes causes rapid, uncoordinated heartbeats. It can be life threatening and causes a rhythm known as QT prolongation.

Overall risk factors for arrhythmia include having an existing heart condition, being born with unusual structural features in the heart, and being over the age of 65 years. Certain other conditions and medications can also increase the risk of arrhythmia.

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