Arrhythmia

What is arrhythmia?

Arrhythmia isn't a single condition but a term used to describe problems that affect your heart's rhythm and how fast it beats.

Electrical impulses govern the rhythm of your heartbeat. These impulses come from the sinus node in your heart — your body's built-in pacemaker. 

The signals your sinus node sends out cause contractions in the heart muscle that keep the blood pumping and cause the familiar sound of your heart beating.

Anything that interferes with the regular transmission of the sinus node's electrical signals can cause arrhythmia. Your heart might develop an irregular rhythm when you have an arrhythmia, or it could beat too quickly or too slowly.

What are the types of arrhythmia?

There are various forms of arrhythmia, including:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Bradycardia
• Conduction disorders
• Premature contraction
• Tachycardia
• Ventricular fibrillation

Some people are born with congenital heart problems that cause arrhythmia. Others develop the condition when they have disorders like high blood pressure or coronary artery disease.

How is an arrhythmia diagnosed?

Cardiology Specialists of Orange County has exceptional in-house diagnostic facilities at their noninvasive labs.

Your provider looks over your medical history, family history, and current symptoms. They then perform routine tests, including blood pressure measurement and temperature, and listen to your heart through a stethoscope.

Based on what they find, they might want you to undergo further tests, such as:

• Echocardiogram
• Holter monitor
• Treadmill testing
• Tilt-table test
• Electrophysiologic testing (EP study)
• Esophageal electrophysiologic procedure

These tests help determine the underlying cause of your arrhythmia, so you receive the most appropriate treatment.

What treatments are there for arrhythmia?

Your arrhythmia treatment plan could contain one or several therapies, depending on the cause of your condition. Potential treatments include:

Addressing underlying health issues

Diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes can bring on arrhythmia, so taking steps to manage and reverse these conditions as much as possible can greatly improve your heart health. Being overweight or obese is also a leading cause of heart problems, so losing weight can ease the strain on your heart.

Medications

Antiarrhythmic medicines alter your heart's electrical current, helping to restore a regular rhythm. Other beneficial drugs might include calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers to reduce a tachycardic (over fast) heart rate or anticoagulants (blood thinners) if you're at risk of developing blood clots.

Implantable devices

Implantable devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators can help regulate your heartbeat.

Catheter ablation

A catheter is a thin tube that goes into an artery and then your heart. Your provider at Cardiology Specialists of Orange County applies heat via the catheter, destroying any abnormal cells in the muscle responsible for your arrhythmia.

If your heart beats irregularly, races too fast, or slows down significantly, call Cardiology Specialists of Orange County or book an appointment online today.