Cardiac Rhythm Disorders

Cardiac Rhythm Disorders – regular beating of the heart moves blood throughout the body. When the electrical impulses traveling throughout the heart that control beating are interrupted, irregular beating occurs.

Causes: it is rare in patients with no other known heart disease, but can have unrelated causes

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Heart valve disease
  • Heart failure
  • Hypertension
  • Infection or fever
  • Physical or emotional exertion
  • Anemia
  • Thyroid disease
  • Drug abuse

Symptoms

  • Palpitations
  • Thumping or fluttering in the chest
  • Sensation of heart racing
  • Feeling faint or tired
  • Light-headedness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Angina (chest pain)

Diagnosis:

  • History of symptoms
  • Electrocardiogram
  • Blood testing
  • Exercise testing
  • Holter monitor – 24 hour ECG monitoring
  • Echocardiogram

Treatment Options:

  • Lifestyle changes including caffeine or alcohol reduction
  • Stress management
  • Medication
  • Catheter based ablation therapy
  • Defibrillator implantation to protect from life-threatening arrhythmias

Importance: can lead to more serious conditions like heart attack or heart failure and stroke