An arrhythmia (also known as dysrhythmia) is an irregular heartbeat rhythm. As people get older, they commonly experience an occasional "skipped" or irregular heartbeat, and this may or may not be of any concern; however, people suffering from recurrent arrhythmias should be under medical care.
Some arrhythmias are so brief that the heart rate or rhythm isn't greatly affected, but most arrhythmias cause the heart rate to be too slow, too fast or erratic. A normal heart beats 60 to 100 times a minute — about 100,000 times each day. A fast heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute is called tachycardia. A slow heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute is called bradycardia.
What are the Symptoms of Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmias can come and go, or they can be constant, so symptoms vary accordingly. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, fainting or heart palpitations (a pounding, racing or fluttering heartbeat).
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia characterized by an extremely fast, irregular heartbeat. It can lead to an increased risk of stroke, especially among older people, and affects an estimated two million Americans. Symptoms include rapid heart rate, heart palpitations and exercise intolerance.
What Causes Arrhythmias?
Arrhythmias can be caused by a number of factors, including disease, such as coronary artery disease or diabetes; medications or drugs; metabolic problems such as thyroid disease; and an aging heart. Some arrhythmias have no evident cause.
How Are Arrhythmias Treated?
Once diagnosed, the first line of treatment for rhythm disorders is medication. For patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, these medications may include an anticoagulant drug to prevent blood clots from forming and heart-function drugs that are used alone or in combination to reduce the heart rate.
In more complex cases, some arrhythmias can best be treated by radiofrequency catheter ablation, a procedure in which a specially designed catheter is inserted to send heat in the form of radiowave energy to burn and destroy — or "ablate" — the problem area.
In a life-threatening situation, your physician may also recommend the implantation of a defibrillator, a device designed to stop rapid heart rhythms quickly and prevent cardiac arrest. Implantable defibrillators (ICD) monitor the heart rhythm and provide an electric shock within a few seconds of sensing an irregular rhythm. In nearly all cases, defibrillators can be implanted without open chest surgery.
Our physicians treating patients with very slow heart rhythms, called bradycardias, may choose to insert a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker system provides an electrical impulse to stimulate the heart muscle, causing the heart to contract.
All of these treatments, combined with the most recent drug therapies, are available alone or in combination at Saint John's to provide comprehensive and individualized therapy of arrhythmias.