Arrhythmia
by Newton Cao and Kigh Dang
What Is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmia is a condition where a person's heart does not beat at a normal pace or rhythm.
Certain age groups are more prone to certain types of arrhythmia, so everyone is at risk for arrhythmia.
Symptoms
Symptoms of arrhythmia include:
- slow or irregular heartbeats
- pauses between heartbeats
- anxiety
- dizziness
- fainting
- sweating
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
Diagnosis
- It is diagnosed through family history.
- Electrocardiogram
- Holter and Event Monitors
- Stress test
- Physical Exam
- Blood tests
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiography
- Electrophysiology study
- Tilt Table Testing
- Coronary and angiography
- Implantable loop recorder
Prognosis
- Arrhythmia is not always deadly
- Mild to severe life-threatening
Treatments
1. Slower heart rates
- Pace-makers
- Vagal Maneuvers
- Medication
- Cardioversion
- Catheter Ablation
- Pace-makers
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator
- Surgery
Heart Arrhythmia
Citations
1. Medline Plus
2. Mayo Clinic