What is Cardiac Arrhythmia
An irregular heartbeat is an Cardiac arrhythmia. A normal heart rate is 50 to 100 beats per minute. Arrhythmias and abnormal heart rates don’t necessarily occur together.
When Your Heart Rhythm Isn’t Normal
Rhythm means your heartbeat is irregular. It doesn’t necessarily mean your heart is beating too fast or too slow. It just means it’s out of its normal rhythm. It may feel like your heart skipped a beat, added a beat, is fluttering, or is beating too fast.
Causes and Types of of Arrhythmias
You could have an arrhythmia even if your heart is healthy. Or it could happen because you have:
Heart Disease
The wrong balance of electrolytes in your blood
Changes in your muscle
Injury from a heart attack
Healing process after heart surgery
Symptoms
An arrhythmia can be silent, meaning you don’t notice any symptoms. Symptoms of arrhythmias are varied and can indicate either a harmless condition or one that needs immediate attention.
The most common signs and symptoms of arrhythmias include:
A feeling that your heart is skipping a beat
A heartbeat that is too fast or “racing”
A heartbeat that is too slow
An irregular heartbeat
Pauses between heartbeats
More serious symptoms include:
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Lightheadedness
Fainting or near-fainting
Severe heart palpitations
Anxiety
Sweating
Treatment of Arrhythmias
Most arrhythmias are considered harmless and are left untreated. He or she will need to find out whether it’s abnormal or merely reflects the heart’s normal processes.
Treatment goals
Prevent blood clots from forming to reduce stroke risk
Control your heart rate within a relatively normal range
Restore a normal heart rhythm, if possible
Treat heart disease/condition that may be causing arrhythmia
Reduce other risk factors for heart disease and stroke
