Arrhythmias - Medtick

Arrhythmias

What is it?

When one’s heartbeat is too fast, too slow, or beats in an irregular rhythm.

  • It is caused by the disruption of your heart’s normal electrical system, which regulates your heart rate and heart rhythm. and this can vary considerably where one can have mild symptoms while others could have life threatening conditions.

Arrhythmias all can be classified into three general types:

Extra heartbeats (premature heartbeats)

  • When one has an early heartbeat than expected and/or extra heartbeats.

Bradycardia

  • Slow beating of the heart  and is not usually a concern except when causing symptoms.
  • This condition can be further divided in two:
    • Sinus bradycardia where one has a disorder of the sinus node (the heart’s natural pacemaker. The sinus node consists of a cluster of cells that are situated in the upper part of the wall of the right atrium (the right upper chamber of the heart),the electrical impulses are generated there)
    • Heart block -when the sinus node signals are blocked and do not reach the heart’s ventricles (which are the big chambers of the heart that helps to pump blood around your body),  this then can lead to a left or right bundle branch block (an abnormal pattern that is seen on the electrocardiogram (ECG), which indicates that the heart’s electrical impulse is not being distributed normally across the ventricles).

Tachycardia

  • Fast beating of the heart and this can be divides in two:
    • Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)- examples include : atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, Wolf White Parkinson syndrome
    • Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF)- life threatening conditions

  • Arrhythmia can be hard to diagnose as they may occur randomly or only for a few seconds hence diagnostic tools don’t always pick up the type of arrhythmia straight away, but one must visit your healthcare medical professional to  identify symptoms and type of arrhythmia and try to identify cause of arrhythmia.

Cause

Syndromes

Medications and supplements:

  • Methamphetamines
  • Opioid Analagesic medication
  • Decongestants
  • Antacids
  • Digoxin
  • Antiarrythmic drugs, especially quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, sotalol, and dofetilide.
  • Antibiotics, including erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, and ciprofloxacin.
  • Non-sedating antihistamines, such as terfenadine and astemizole.
  • Psychotropic drugs, especially haloperidol, thorazine, and methadone.

Vitamins, herbals and minerals

Illicit drugs

Symptoms

(many present no symptoms)

  • Lightheadedness?
  • Chest pain?
  • Short of breath and /or breathing difficulties?
  • Heart palpitations?
  • ‘Racy’ and/or ‘fluttering’ heart and/or extra heartbeat feeling of the heart [Patients with AF have an irregularly irregular pulse and have a fast beating heart, with heart rates (pulse)  typically in the 110-140 range]?
  • Slowing heart beat especially in those who feel cold and or drug toxicity affecting the heart?
  • Sweating?
  • Balance and Dizziness problems?
  • Fainting?

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Do not wait phone, for an ambulance if have or develop:


This condition can lead to :


Driving Authority


This condition can be mistaken for:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Arrhythmias in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

  • NHS

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  • Medscape

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  • WebMD

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  • Cleveland Clinic

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  • Drugs.com

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  • National Organisation of Rare Diseases

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  • Verywell Health

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  • DR Axe

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