Q. What does it mean when your heart is going arrhythmic?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
When your heart is going arrhythmic (also known as an arrhythmia), it means that the electrical signals that control the rate and rhythm of your heartbeat are abnormal or out of sync. In certain circumstances, this can cause a rapid and potentially dangerous heartbeat.
In general, there are four types of arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), ventricular tachycardia (VT) and bradycardia. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by an irregular pattern between upper chambers of the heart while SVT is caused by abnormal electrical impulses in the atria and ventricles causing them to beat faster than normal. VT occurs when abnormal firing of cells cause extremely fast contraction in one or both ventricles while bradycardia is marked by slow contractions below 60 beats per minute.
The symptoms associated with each type vary but may include palpitations, chest pain, fatigue, lightheadedness or dizziness, shortness of breath or anxiety. Other more serious symptoms may include increased risk for stroke due to blood clots forming in abnormally beating chambers as well as serious cardiac issues such as congestive heart failure if untreated for too long.
Fortunately however most cases can be treated with lifestyle changes like reducing stress levels through relaxation techniques or avoiding stimulants like caffeine; medications such as beta-blockers; pacemakers to regulate electrically contracting muscles; cardioversion for restoring normal rhythms through electric shocks; ablation which eliminates faulty tissues creating erratic currents; and surgery if necessary to replace faulty parts with artificial ones from a donor organ having similar size structures and functioning properties . Ultimately it's important to consult a cardiologist if you experience any alarming symptom so they can identify what type you have before determining what course treatment needs to take place – since time lost might mean further risks posed upon not just your physical health but even emotional well-being!