Arrhythmia Causes Symptoms

Arrhythmia 

Arrhythmia is define as production of abnormal heartbeat, either too slow or too fast or constantly fluctuating heartbeat. Increase in heartbeat is called tachycardia and decrease heartbeat is called as bradycardia.

Causes of Arrhythmia 

Arrhythmia causes are,

  • SA node abnormality 

SA node (Sinoatrial node) is located near the right atrium which function as to generate electrical impulse. When SA node abnormally generate electrical impulses abnormal heart beat generate.

  • Structural changes in heart

Any deviation from normal structure of the heart, during surgical procedures or accident, chest trauma. Alteration in heart muscles result in arrhythmia.

  • Heart muscle weakness 

Heart muscle actually pump blood. Weak muscle of the heart fail to pump and respond to the active electrical stimulus. It result in slow heart beat.

  • AV node dysfunction 

AV (atrioventricular node) is present between the intraventricular septum. It carry electrical impulse from SA node and pass it to ventricles via Purkinje fibers. Dysfunction will result in either sending wrong impulse which can delayed or faster the heart beat.

  • Problems in conducting system of Heart 

  • Failure in circulatory function

  • Hyperthyroidism 

Hyperthyroidism is condition where thyroid hormone stimulate excess thyroxine hormone production. It lead to increase heart rate and metabolic activitie. It cause tachycardia. 

Risk factors are, 


  • Stress

High stressful environment, high work load increases heart beat and functions. Ex. athelets have high chance of arrhythmia. 

  • Alcohol

Alcohol can cause sedation. Long term intake of excess alcohol lead to heart muscle dysfunction and less excitary function of SA node. 

  • Smoking

  • Dietary factors ex. red meat, high cholesterol 


Arrhythmia types 

Arrhythmia is classified based on location, intensity and causative factors of abnormal heart beat. 

  • Atrial arrhythmia

Atrila arrhythmia is define as arrhythmia occurs due to upper chamber of the heart. It include atrial fibrillation, flutter, premature atrial contraction and sinus bradycardia. 


  • Sinus bradycardia 

Sinus bradycardia is slow heartbeat occur due to SA node dysfunction. SA node generate less than 60 heartbeat per minute resulting in slow heart beat. 


  • Premature atrial contraction 

Premature atrial contraction refer as generation of electrical signal before completing cardiac cycle. It creates miscommunication in ventricles and lead to produce abnormal heart beat. 


  • Atrial flutter:- It is a condition where heart upper chamber beat randomly. 

  • Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is over activation of both atria producing irregular and fast heart beat. It is characterized by palpitation, tachycardia and shortness of breath.


  • Junctional Arrhythmia 

Junctional arrhythmia occurs when electrical conduction is originate from atrioventricular node instead of SA node. It causes disturbance in normal heart functioning and heartbeat. 


  • Ventricular arrhythmia 

Ventricular arrhythmia is define as abnormal heart beat originating from ventricles. It causes over pumping of ventricles without actually pumping blood. It result in decreasing cardiac output and abnormal heart beat. 


  • Premature ventricular contraction 

It is refer as extra heartbeat that occur in lower ventricles disturbing normal rhythm. It is characterized by miss heartbeat. 


  • Ventricular fibrillation 

Ventricular fibrillation is generating very fast heart rhythm by both the ventricles. It can be fatal, as it causes ventricles to pump blood unnecessarily. It causes less blood supply to body, 

Symptom

Arrhythmia is generally characterized by too fast heart beat or too slow heart beat. It can also seen as false heartbeat and irregular heartbeat. 

It could identified from palpitation and causative factors. Ex. some arrhythmia occurs only during certain task like exercise or during work. Person experience tachycardia, headache, chest pain and sweating on stimulation. 

Other signs include breathing difficulty, fainting and low oxygen level in blood. 


Arrhythmia diagnosis

Arrhythmia is diagnosed by the following test, 
  1. Electrocardiogram :- (ECG) It is a simple machine that measure the heart electrical activity on graph that use to diagnose abnormal rhythm.
  2. Echocardiogram : - It is a procedure of ultrasonography by which the heart blood vessels and blood flow is assess to check for infection tumor or obstruction in blood flow. 
  3. Holter monitor: - It is a small batter situate on the chest which monitor the heart beat produced over specific time period. 

Treatment

Arrhythmia are treated with medicines that can increase heart rate when heart beats slow and slow down on increased heart rate. Drug that use in maintaining abnormal heart rate and arrhythmia are refer as antiarrhythmatic drug.


  • Beta blockers 

Beta blockers decreases heart rate during tachycardia (increase heart rate). It act by adrenaline which decreases the heart rate and lowered heart contractibility. Drug use are metoprolol and atenolol.


  • Calcium channel blocker 

Calcium channel blocker decrase force of contraction and dilate arteries resulting in decreasing blood pressure and heart rate. Drug given are diltizem and verampamil etc. 



  • Sodium channel blocker

This drug blocks the transport of sodium in blood & decrease the fluid volume from body resulting in decreasing the heart load to pump blood. 


  • Cryocautery 

It help in decrease swelling by high freezing substance applying over the tissues. It kills useless tissues.

Surgical Therapy


  • Pacemaker 

It is a small device that place inside the chest area which use in slow heart beat. When SA node produce abnormal heart beat it get activate and generate electrical impulses to bring normal heart beat. 

  • Cardioversion 

Cardioversion is devise place on heart, maintaining normal heart rhythm. It is done in patient with sevier arrhythmia.

  • Implantable cardioverter- defibrillator (ICD) : - 
ICD is surgically implant in the body which constantly monitor heart beat, during abnormal heartbeat it generate impulses to maintain normal heart rhythm. 

Complication

  • Stroke

Stroke is medical condition occur when heart blood supply is interrupted or less oxygenated blood is reach to brain. During severe arrhythmia, less blood is pump to the body causing low blood reaching towards brain. It increases chances of stroke. 

  • Heart failure or Cardiac arrest 

Heart failure occurs if arrhythmia continues with decrease cardiac output, muscle failure and less electrical impulse generators. 


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