Q. How is heart arrhythmia treated?

Heart arrhythmia, also referred to as an irregular heartbeat or cardiac dysrhythmia, is a condition where the heart beats with an abnormal rhythm. It can range from being very mild and rarely noticeable to life-threatening.

Treatment for heart arrhythmias depends on the type and complexity of the arrhythmia, your age and medical history. The first step in treating any type of arrhythmia is typically making lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and reducing stress. If lifestyle changes do not make a difference then medications may be prescribed to help regulate your heartbeat or reduce symptoms such as palpitations or shortness of breath. Common drugs used in treatment include beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and antiarrhythmics like amiodarone or sotalol which are usually taken one to three times daily depending on the drug regimen prescribed by your doctor.

In some cases these medications may not be sufficient for managing symptoms so other forms of treatments including catheter ablation may need to be considered for more complex arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AFib). In this procedure thin wires are inserted inside veins located near the abdomen that travel up towards your heart using imaging guidance from x-ray technology while you're under sedation or general anesthesia. The physician then uses radiofrequency energy (similar to microwaves) at specific points along these wires in order to produce small lesions that block abnormal electrical signals causing AFib within particular areas in order to restore normal rhythm back into the heart’s chambers responsible for producing electrical impulses that control its beating pattern—all without open-heart surgery! This procedure has almost doubled success rates over traditional drug therapy with many patients seeing immediate relief from their AFib symptoms following no downtime post-op due to its minimally invasive nature when performed correctly by experienced cardiologists experienced with this technique!

Lastly another emerging therapeutic option gaining popularity recently involves implanting pacemakers into those looking for long term support from their chronic symptomatic heart rhythms. These devices act like tiny computers residing underneath our skin connected directly into our hearts helping pace us if needed depending on how much electrical shock therapy it needs picking up signals sent out when it senses something wrong using camera flashes similar those seen during routine chest x-rays but since they’re implanted just beneath our skin they don’t interfere with movement unlike older bulky models used before recent technological advancements made them more appealing solutions among physicians & patients alike—not only helping manage serious medical issues but improving quality life too!

Ultimately whichever particular form of treatment you decide upon will ultimately depend on individual factors best discussed & determined between you & your primary care provider determining what's best suited personally towards achieving optimal outcomes safely & successfully!