Heart Arrhythmia
Affecting more than 2.2 million Americans, heart arrhythmia is an irregularity in your heartbeat that can feel like your heart is skipping a beat or fluttering. An irregular heartbeat can take many forms and each has a different root cause, including coronary heart disease, changes in the heart muscle and an imbalance in electrolytes in the blood.
When the two upper chambers of your heart (the atria) beat irregularly or out of sync with the lower chambers (the ventricles), atrial fibrillation occurs. As a result, the heart can beat faster than normal or beat irregularly, causing poor blood flow to the body. This form of arrhythmia is fairly common, affecting more than two million Americans. Atrial fibrillation is often associated with other forms of heart disease. Symptoms can include: Heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness.
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) occurs when the heart’s normally precise heart rate speeds up, sometimes as fast as 150 to 200 beats a minute. The heart can return to its normal rate (60 to 100 beats a minute) on its own or through treatment. Often, a person will not know they are having arrhythmia due to SVT. Symptoms can include: Palpitations, light-headedness and chest pain. In some instances there may be confusion or even a loss of consciousness.
The onset of atrial flutter may go unnoticed, particularly at first however, people with hypertension, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy (a weakening of the heart muscle) are most likely to experience this type of arrhythmia, though a normal heart can have episodes of atrial flutter as well. Symptoms can include palpitations, symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain and nausea.
The opposite of tachycardia, bradycardia is a very slow heart rate, often less than 60 beats per minute. It occurs when the sinoatrial node, your heart’s natural pacemaker, doesn’t create the signals for your heart to beat or doesn’t send the signals to the heart’s lower chambers. It is most often found in the elderly and can be related to heart disease or inherited or congenital defects.Symptoms can include fatigue, lightheadedness or dizziness, fainting and shortness of breath.
When the beat of the heart becomes irregular because of a constriction or obstruction in the coronary vessels, the cause of the arrhythmia can be due to Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). This condition develops gradually, starting with a build up of fatty tissues in the arteries. When the blood flow becomes constricted, the heart needs more oxygen than the blood can supply. IHD can also result in valvular abnormalities. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or even blackouts can be signs of IHD.
Heart Diseases
- Heart Arrhythmia
Affecting more than 2.2 million Americans.
- Vascular Disease
The primary cause of vascular disease is hardening of the arteries.
- Valve Disease
Your heart contains four valves that work in coordination.
- Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to the heart becomes blocked.
- Heart Failure
Heart failure affects more than five million Americans.
- Women's Cardiovascular Disease
One out of three women in the U.S. die from cardiovascular disease.
