Clinical signs
Symptoms depend on the type of arrhythmia and include:
- increased heart rate;
- increased heart rate;
- discomfort or chest pain;
- shortness of breath;
- dizziness and fainting.
Many of us know the feeling of "fading" of the heart (extrasystoles). This phenomenon is usually innocuous and requires examination only with frequent attacks. Violations of the rhythm of the heart occur when the normal sequence of contractions of the heart muscle is violated. There are several mechanisms of arrhythmia. Own pacemaker (sinoatrial node) is not able to start the electrical system. In the cardiac muscle, pathological foci of electrical activity may appear, causing additional contractions. Possible violation of the electric pulse.
Medical reasons
Some conditions can provoke arrhythmias. Among them:
- high blood pressure;
- cardiac ischemia;
- congestive heart failure;
- cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease);
- excessive use of alcohol;
- pulmonary embolism;
- hyperthyroidism.
Approximately one third of patients who suffer from a common form of arrhythmia - atrial fibrillation, can not identify any objective cause. Arrhythmias can affect both the upper chambers of the heart (atria) and the lower chambers (ventricles). There are two main types of arrhythmias: tachycardia, in which the heart rate is too high, and bradycardia, in which it is too low. Specific types of arrhythmias include the following states. Atrial fibrillation is the most common abnormality of the heart rhythm, in which the rapid heart rate is accompanied by an absolutely irregular rhythm. This condition can be permanent or paroxysmal and is more common in the elderly. Nadzheludochkovaya tachycardia - a fast but regular heart rate, is more typical for young people. Ventricular fibrillation - in this type of arrhythmia, the pathological stimulus comes from the ventricles, which can result in the development of a severe form of arrhythmia requiring emergency treatment. Complete cardiac blockade - electrical impulses from the atria do not reach the ventricles. The heart rate decreases sharply. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a rare congenital disease that causes a very fast heart rate. Heart failure is the total inability of the heart muscle to contract. The diagnosis is usually made by counting the pulse on the radial artery in the wrist area and then listening to the heart. In most patients, the diagnosis is confirmed by electrocardiography (ECG). Since some kinds of arrhythmias are transitory, daily ECG recording can be used using a portable device. In addition, the doctor can prescribe blood tests to identify possible anemia, as well as chest x-ray.
Forecast
Irregular cuts lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the heart. This can lead to a restriction of blood flow in the heart muscle (ischemia), a violation of the contractile function of the heart and a decrease in blood pressure. Mortality in atrial fibrillation is two times higher than in the population.
Risk of stroke
Violation of the contractile function of the heart leads to the fact that part of the blood remains in the atria, which will create conditions for the formation of thrombi. These thrombi can then move through the vessels to distant organs, for example in the brain, with the development of a stroke. The average risk of stroke is 5% per genus and is spread with age, as well as in the presence of arterial hypertension, heart failure, diabetes and coronary heart disease. Patients under the age of 60 years who do not have the above risk factors have a low risk of stroke.
Morbidity
Most heart arrhythmias are rare in young people, but their frequency increases with age. Atrial fibrillation is the only exception; it affects 1% of the population aged 40 to 65 years and 5% of people over 65. About 50% of patients with atrial fibrillation have an age of 75 years or more. Treatment of arrhythmias varies depending on their type. Among the methods of treatment: drug therapy is the most frequent method of treatment of tachycardia. For example, the drug of choice for atrial fibrillation is a toxin that can slow the heart rate. Other drugs used include verapamil and beta-blockers; cardioversion - applying a series of electrical discharges to the chest area under anesthesia. This procedure can restore a normal heart rhythm in patients with severe forms of supraventricular tachycardia; radiofrequency ablation of the AV node with destruction of the pathological pathway of impulse conduction; Setting the pacemaker - at a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute and repeated episodes of cardiac arrest, an artificial pacemaker must be installed.
Prevention
To some extent, heart rhythm disturbances can be prevented with the help of measures that strengthen heart health, namely regular exercise, quitting and proper nutrition. Any medicine, treatment of cardiac arrhythmia offers a variety of ways to eliminate the problem with this body.