Summary In cardiac arrhythmias, the heart gets out of sync and can beat much too fast or too slow. However, this is not always dangerous and can have different reasons. If the disorders occur more frequently and if there are distressing symptoms, a doctor should be consulted, because a heart disease can then be the cause of the cardiac arrhythmia. Find out here which cardiac arrhythmias are easily treatable and how you can deal with this disease.
What are cardiac arrhythmias?
The heartbeat is determined by a clock in the atrium: the sinus node. This creates an electrical impulse that causes the atria and ventricles to contract. At rest, this happens about 60 to 80 times a minute. A heart rhythm disorder or arrhythmia is a change in heart rate. A cardiac arrhythmia often goes undetected because it causes no symptoms. If they do occur, they can be recognized either by an irregular or rapid pulse, dizziness or nausea. There are different types of cardiac arrhythmias and not all are dangerous per se. For example, the harmless extra beats (extrasystoles) are harmless. Sufferers often feel that their heart is racing, but it can also “stumble” when the heart skips a beat, which many find uncomfortable. Even if they are harmless, a new and more frequent heart palpitations or palpitations should be clarified by a doctor, because an irregular heartbeat is often caused by a heart disease.
A cardiac arrhythmia can have different causes. So it can be the result of
a heart attack
an inflammation of the heart muscle
a heart failure
a heart valve defect
a severely thickened heart muscle
But a potassium or magnesium deficiency can also cause a cardiac arrhythmia. Cardiac arrhythmias develop in two different ways and can be divided into disturbances in the conduction of impulses and disturbances in the formation of stimuli. This can be caused by the ventricles or the atria. If there is a faulty formation or transmission of signals, this changes the rhythm of the heartbeats. This disorder is often based on a disease, but the cause of the changed rhythm can also be completely unclear. Forms and causes of cardiac arrhythmias The extrasystole - an extra heartbeat - can originate in an atrium or in a ventricle. As a rule, extrasystoles are not dangerous, but heart palpitations or nausea can occur, which worries many sufferers. A medical examination can provide certainty here. Bradycardia is characterized by a sustained heartbeat of less than 50 beats per minute when the person is at rest. Bradycardias that require treatment are those that are due to a sinus node disorder, a heart attack, atrial fibrillation, or an underactive thyroid. The heartbeat can also be irregular, such as in bradycardic atrial fibrillation.
Good to know There are dangerous and non-dangerous bradycardias. The latter includes those that usually occur in athletes. If the heart rate is permanently below 50 beats per minute, this is the result of physical training.
The tachycardia manifests itself in a strong palpitations that reach up to the throat. If the heart is constantly beating at more than 100 beats per minute, you should definitely see a doctor. Constant tachycardia robs the heart muscle of a lot of energy because it uses more oxygen than normal and can ultimately lead to sudden cardiac death. The cause of this tachycardia can be a heart disease such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease (CHD), high blood pressure (hypertension) or an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). Rapid heartbeat, which occurs only occasionally, can also have other reasons, such as frequent use of nicotine, caffeine, medication and drugs.
Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias. This cardiac arrhythmia occurs in the atria and is – at least immediately – not dangerous. In the case of atrial fibrillation, the atria no longer contract completely due to a signal disturbance. This slows blood flow, which can cause blood clots to form, a risk factor for stroke. Atrial fibrillation can be divided into
paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, which occurs irregularly and subsides on its own.
Persistent atrial fibrillation, which usually lasts longer than seven days and only subsides with appropriate therapy.
permanent atrial fibrillation lasting more than a year.
Ventricular fibrillation is an abnormal heart rhythm that originates in one of the chambers of the heart. This cardiac arrhythmia is acutely life-threatening and is characterized by a heartbeat of over 320 beats per minute. Due to this high frequency, not enough blood is pumped into the body. As a result, the person concerned can faint and the circulatory system collapse quickly. Ventricular fibrillation also occurs together with a heart attack and is always an emergency.
What are the typical symptoms of cardiac arrhythmias?
The symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia are very different.
Symptoms of a fast heartbeat
heart palpitations
tachycardia (palpitations)
shortness of breath
dizziness
chest pain
These symptoms can be accompanied by anxiety and nervousness.
Symptoms of a slow heartbeat
If the heart pumps too little blood into the systemic circulation due to a heartbeat that is too slow and thus too little oxygen into the brain, the following symptoms occur:
dizziness
nausea
visual disturbances
poor performance
fainting
If such symptoms occur for the first time and persist, you should go to a doctor's office and have them examined.
How does the doctor diagnose cardiac arrhythmias? If symptoms such as tachycardia, dizziness, nausea or shortness of breath occur more frequently, a visit to the doctor's office is advisable. Various diagnostic methods are used to diagnose a cardiac arrhythmia. In addition to the patient consultation, an important instrument is the electrocardiogram (ECG). With this, the heart muscle currents can be recorded and the heart activity displayed in a curve. This also makes it possible to determine whether, for example, a heart attack that has been suffered is the possible cause of a cardiac arrhythmia. Since atrial fibrillation occurs very irregularly, the affected person is often given a long-term ECG, which usually has to be worn on the body for 24 hours.
How does the doctor treat cardiac arrhythmias? Extrasystoles that come from the atria usually do not need to be treated unless they cause symptoms. But often it is enough to avoid certain triggers such as alcohol, nicotine or stress. If a lack of potassium or magnesium in the blood is the cause of cardiac arrhythmia, this can be alleviated by an appropriate diet or by taking potassium and magnesium supplements as prescribed by the doctor. If there is no relief, drug treatment can be considered. If extra beats in the atria, tachycardia or atrial fibrillation occur more and more frequently, the cause should be investigated. Atrial fibrillation is a risk factor for a stroke and should be prevented accordingly with blood-thinning medication. Antiarrhythmics, drugs that control heart rhythm, or beta-blockers are another way to treat atrial fibrillation. However, it can also be treated with electrocardioversion, a brief surge of electricity using a defibrillator, carried out under general anesthesia for a short period of time. If the source of the extra beats is always in the same place in the heart, then it can be located and treated as part of a catheter examination. Ventricular fibrillation, i.e. the racing heart that emanates from the ventricles, is life-threatening and a case for the emergency doctor. This tries to normalize the heartbeat again with electric shocks. If the heart beats too slowly, as in the case of bradycardia, treatment with a pacemaker is used. This allows the heart to beat at a faster rhythm while eliminating the symptoms of bradycardia. A pacemaker is indicated when the heartbeat falls below 40 beats per minute or the heartbeat pauses for a few seconds.
What can you do if you have a cardiac arrhythmia? In order to learn to deal with the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia, it makes sense to seek support in a cardiac sports group. There you have the opportunity to exchange ideas with other affected people. At the same time, you are doing something good for your heart by strengthening it and making it more resilient through sport. Also, get an emergency ID card. In the event of an emergency, the emergency doctor will take your previous illnesses, your blood group, the medication you are taking and their dosage from this. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ICD code(s)
ICD Codes are International Statistical Classifications of Diseases found, for example, on Certificates of Incapacity for Work (AU) or Doctors' Letters.
I49, P29 and Z01
Source: DIMDI
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