HEART ARRHYTHMIA
A heart arrhythmia is a group of a condition characterized by an unusual heart rhythm- the heart may beat too slow, beat too fast or be irregular.
- This anomaly may be due to the improper condition of the electrical signals that coordinate heartbeat.
- When the heartbeat faster than appropriate about 100 beats per minute in adults, the condition is called tachycardia
- A heart rhythm that is too slow and below 60 beats per minute in adults is called bradycardia and
- An irregular rhythm in the atria is referred to as atrial fibrillation.
- Heart arrhythmia affects people of all ages but is common in older people.
- Heart arrhythmia can be an emergency, or sometimes be harmless.
- Heart arrhythmia affects millions of people. In 2014, Europe and North America recorded about 2%-3% atrial fibrillation cases. In 2013, 112,000 death was recorded, up from 29,000 in 1990.
CAUSES
A number of factors can cause the heart to malfunction, they include:
- Injury from a heart attack
- Mental stress
- Heart diseases
- Smoking
- Structural changes in the heart muscle
- Diabetes
- Substance abuse
- Alcohol abuse
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Some certain medications
- The healing process after heart surgery
- Electric shock
- Excessive coffee intake
SIGNS AN SYMPTOMS
SYMPTOMS OF TACHYCARDIA INCLUDES:
- Dizziness
- Chest pain or tightness
- Sudden weakness or fatigue
- Fainting
- Breathlessness
SYMPTOMS OF BRADYCARDIA:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Difficulty in exercising
- Angina also called chest pain
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
SYMPTOMS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
- Weakness
- Palpitations
- Breathlessness
- Fainting
- Chest pain
In some cases, heart arrhythmia may be silent with no symptoms.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
In diagnosing heart arrhythmia, doctors use test including:
- Electrocardiogram for visualizing the abnormalities in the heart. This is done by measuring the electric activity and potential of the heart.
- Cardiac Event Recorder: in cases where symptoms are inconsistent, the doctor may suggest you wear a (CER), you press a button that records and stores the electric activity of your heart once you experience a symptom.
- An echocardiogram that uses ultrasound to measure heart muscle.
- Holter monitor that you wear for a day or two and that monitors your heart rhythm as you go about your daily routine.
- Cardiac catheterization where a long thin tube is placed into the vein or artery in the arm or leg or neck and laced through the blood vessels to the heart. This is done to check if there is a heart problem and check the pumping function of the heart.
- Stress Test to check if exercise is triggering or could worsen your condition. The doctor may request the patient to walk on a treadmill at increasing level of difficulties while getting their heart rate and blood pressure measured.
TREATMENT
Treatment may include:
- Cardioversion
- Medications to control heart rate or return the heart to its normal rhythm
- Implantable Cardioverter Debrifilator that tracks the heart rhythm. The ICD sends an electric shock to the heart to make the heart beat stable once it detects an abnormal, fast beat.
- The maze procedure: This is a surgical procedure to correct atrial fibrillation.
- Catheter ablation
- Pacemaker: This device sends a small electric wave to the heart muscle to keep a safe heart rate.
- Vagal maneuvers that include ducking your face in ice, holding your breath or coughing.
In preventing heart arrhythmias, a healthy lifestyle is expedient.
Eating healthy, avoiding smoking and excessive consumption of coffee, reducing stress and weight control.