HEART ARRHYTHMIA
A heart arrhythmia is a group of conditions characterized by an unusual heart rhythm- the heart may beat too slow, be irregular or beat too fast. This anomaly may be due to the improper condition of the electrical signals that coordinate heartbeat. When the heartbeat faster than appropriate say about 100 beat per minute in adults, the condition is called tachycardia, a heart rhythm that is too slow say 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 affect people of all ages but are 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 like over-the-counter drugs
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 known as chest pain
Fatigue
Dizziness
SYMPTOMS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Weakness
Palpitations
Breathlessness
Fainting
Chest pain
In some cases of a heart arrhythmia may be silent, with no symptoms.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
In diagnosing 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.
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.
TREATMENT
Treatment may include:
Cardioversion
Medications to control heart rate and/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 heart beat stable once it detects an abnormal, fast beat.
The maze procedure
Catherer ablation
Vegal maneuvers that includes 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, reduction of over-the-counter drugs.