Arrhythmias

The heart is normally able to pump blood to the body without working any harder than what is needed due to the electrical system that guarantees that it contracts (squeezes) regularly.  During an arrhythmia, your heart beat may be: too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia) or irregular.

An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate.  The most common cause of arrhythmias is coronary artery disease, abnormal heart valve function and heart failure. However, arrhythmias can also occur without cardiac abnormalities due to excessive consumption of substances or drugs like caffeine or amphetamines or due to stress or too much exercise or sport.

It is necessary to analyze the symptoms in order to make a preliminary diagnosis: if the heartbeat is regular or irregular and the duration of the arrhythmia. Symptoms can be mild or in some cases severe or even potentially fatal. Some of these symptoms include chest pain, dizziness and fainting, palpitations or difficulty breathing.

Coronary problems that cause arrhythmias are treated by angioplasty or bypass. When an arrhythmia is serious, urgent treatment is needed to restore a normal rhythm, such as electrical shock therapy (defibrillation or cardioversion), implanting a temporary pacemaker to interrupt the arrhythmia or giving intravenous medication.