Yashoda Hospitals > Diseases & Treatments > Cardiology > Arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats

Arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats

Its types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments

Things you need to know about arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats

What is heart arrhythmia?

The human heart is made of four sacs or chambers. The upper two are known as atria and the lower two as ventricles. A normal heart beats at a rate of 60 to 100 times per minute to circulate blood. The normal rhythm or beating of the heart is controlled by two distinct bunches of nerve cells called the Sino-Atrial (SA) node and the Atrioventricular (AV) node.

Arrhythmias, sometimes known as dysrhythmias, are disorders of electrical impulses causing the heart to beat irregularly or too fast/slow.

What are the symptoms of arrhythmia?

Sometimes arrhythmias may have no sign and symptom. However, some noticeable symptoms are:

Chest pain
Dizziness
Fainting/syncope
Feeling of a slowed heartbeat
Feeling of pounding/ racing heartbeat
Fluttering in chest
Shortness of breath
Sweating

If these symptoms appear suddenly, or frequently, one should visit a cardiologist as soon as possible.

What are the causes of arrhythmias?

Arrhythmias may be caused due to many factors like:

Blockage of arteries in the heart
Certain medications
Cardiomegaly or enlarged heart
Diabetes
Disorders of the thyroid
Drug abuse
Excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine
Genetics
High blood pressure
Ongoing heart attack
Scars in heart tissue due to previous heart attack, congestive heart failure etc
Sleep apnoea
Smoking
Stress
Aging
Abnormalities of heart muscle

What are the different types of arrhythmias?

Arrhythmias are classified on the basis of their origin and their effect on the speed of the heartbeats. They include:

Tachycardia or Palpitations

A fast heartbeat, usually >100 beats/min, at rest

Bradycardia

A slow heartbeat, usually <60 beats/min, at rest

Exercise and physiological phenomena can induce tachycardia/bradycardia unrelated to heart disease.

Tachycardia of atria

Tachycardias that arise in the atria include:

Atrial fibrillation
Atrial flutter
Supraventricular tachycardia
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

Tachycardia of ventricles

Tachycardias that arise in the ventricles include:

Ventricular tachycardia
Ventricular fibrillation
Long QT syndrome

Bradycardia

Some common types of bradycardias include:

Sick sinus syndrome
Conduction block

Premature heartbeats or premature ventricular contractions

It is an extra beat in the normal sequence of heartbeats. A premature beat can sometimes lead to an arrhythmia in people with existing heart disease.

How is arrhythmia diagnosed?

Cardiologists diagnose arrhythmia by:

Taking a detailed medical history and conducting a physical examination
Ordering investigations pertaining to risk factors like thyroid
Conducting tests like:
- – Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- – Holter and Event monitor
- – Echocardiogram
- – Implantable loop recorder

Sometimes the cardiologist may also advice:

Stress test
Tilt table test
Electrophysiological testing and 3D mapping

How is arrhythmia treated?

A Cardiologist may advise the treatment for arrhythmias depending upon the patient’s overall health, the type and severity of arrhythmia.Treatment of bradycardia: Bradycardia is treated with implantation of a pacemaker, which is a small device that generates electrical impulses to stimulate the heart.

Treatment of tachycardia: This includes procedures like:

Cardiac catheter ablation: Scar or destroy the tissue where disturbing electrical signals are generated
Vagal manoeuvre: Particular movements like holding breath and straining to affect the vagus nerves
Medications
Cardioversion (normalizing heart rhythm) by procedure or medication
Implantable devices like Pacemaker or ICD (Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator)

Surgical treatments: Surgery may be required in some patients. The common surgical procedures include:

Maze procedure: Cuts or incisions are made in the atrium to create a pattern or maze of scar tissue.
Coronary bypass surgery: This procedure may help to improve the blood flow to the heart in cases with arrhythmias and blockage of arteries.

How can arrhythmias be prevented?

Lifestyle changes that help to reduce the risk of heart disease also help prevent arrhythmias. Some of these measures include:

Avoiding self-medication
Avoiding too much alcohol, caffeine, and smoking
Taking a healthy and balanced diet
Indulging in regular physical activity
Maintaining a healthy weight
Stress management

What is the cost of treatment for arrhythmias?

Cost of the treatment varies depending on the mode of the treatment and the patient’s overall health. Furthermore, the following factors will affect the overall cost:

Underlying cause and its management
Necessity of hospital admission in ICU or ward, number of days, medications and additional investigations
Cardiac pacing procedures and pacemaker costs
Surgeries
Requirement of advanced medical services like cardiac ICU/OT and specialists – cardiologist or cardiovascular surgeon

To know more about arrhythmia and its management, you can request a callback and our arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats specialist will call you and answer all your queries.

Book Appointment

Online Video Consultation

Find a Doctor

Health Packages

References

U.S. National Library of Medicine. Arrhythmia. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/arrhythmia.html. Accessed on February 23, 2018
Mayo Clinic. Heart Arrhythmia. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-arrhythmia/symptoms-causes/syc-20350668 Accessed on February 23, 2018
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Arrhythmia. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/arrhythmia Accessed on February 23, 2018

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is accurate, updated and complete as per the best practices of the Company. Please note that this information should not be treated as a replacement for physical medical consultation or advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy and the completeness of the information so provided. The absence of any information and/or warning to any drug shall not be considered and assumed as an implied assurance of the Company. We do not take any responsibility for the consequences arising out of the aforementioned information and strongly recommend you for a physical consultation in case of any queries or doubts.