What does an irregular heartbeat mean?
One might compare the heart to a house which contains an electrical pumping system. The
reason the heart beats throughout one's lifetime is due to the sophisticated electrical
system within the muscle walls of the heart. The heart has a natural pacemaker which
provides an electrical signal that starts in the upper chambers and, in turn, signals the
lower chambers. This pacemaker action causes the heart to beat, effectively pumping blood
into and out of the heart to other parts of the body.
Instances can occur throughout one's lifetime during which the heart experiences an
electrical "short circuit", so to speak, which causes the heart to beat
irregularly. This irregularity is called an "arrhythmia", of which there are
several different types and causes. It is very common for individuals to have an early or
"skipped" heartbeat occasionally, and, fortunately, for most people, this is not
a sign of a major structural heart abnormality.
However, a very irregular heartbeat, a very rapid heartbeat, or a very slow heartbeat
can pose a much greater risk for patients, and my advise to anyone who experiences these
kinds of rhythms is to see your family physician for evaluation of the arrhythmia. Studies
such as an electrocardiogram or a Holter monitor, which is a recording device that the
patient wears for 24-hours to continuously record the heartbeat, can be done it an attempt
to determine the type and cause of the arrhythmia. Oftentimes these more serious rhythm
problems can be treated safely with medication.
However, some kinds of arrhythmias can be life-threatening and need to be addressed
through more sophisticated techniques for diagnosis and treatment. Tremendous progress has
been made in the field of cardiac electrophysiology in the past ten years. In addition to
implantable devices which override the heart's own pacemaker when an irregularity in heart
rhythm is detected by the device, a new procedure called radio-frequency ablation targets
the cause of the "short circuit" within the heart.
It should be noted that feelings of a fast or irregular heartbeat can be brought on
through excessive use of caffeine or alcohol and/or smoking. However, should you
experience any symptoms related to a fast heartbeat or palpitation, especially if
associated with a feeling of faintness, medical advice should be sought.
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