arrhythmia patient assistance

What are the treatments for heart arrhythmias?

Treatment for heart arrhythmias may include medications, therapies such as vagal maneuvers, cardioversion, catheter procedures or heart surgery. Medications used to treat heart arrhythmias depend on the type of arrhythmia and potential complications.

Should I talk to my doctor about my arrhythmia?

Arrhythmias that are recurrent or related to an underlying heart condition are more concerning and should always be evaluated by a doctor. In most cases, treating the underlying condition will take care of the arrhythmia. If not, many medications and procedures are available to eliminate or control the abnormal heart rhythm.

Can acupuncture help with heart arrhythmias?

Some research suggests that acupuncture may help reduce irregular heartbeats in people with persistent arrhythmias, but further research is needed. If you think you may have a heart arrhythmia, make an appointment with your doctor. If a heart arrhythmia is found early, treatment may be easier and more effective.

Can I take antiarrhythmic medications if I have arrhythmia?

Your healthcare team will monitor you carefully if you're taking antiarrhythmic medication.) If you're being treated for arrhythmia and use any of these substances, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. Just having certain arrhythmias increases your risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke.

What are the management of arrhythmias?

Treatment for heart arrhythmias may include medications, therapies such as vagal maneuvers, cardioversion, catheter procedures or heart surgery.

Can you be hospitalized for arrhythmia?

More than 850,000 people in the United States are hospitalized for an arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) each year. Left untreated, an arrhythmia can lead to serious, sometimes life-threatening, health problems.

Are arrhythmias an emergency?

Ventricular arrhythmias Any duration longer than a few seconds is dangerous and requires emergency medical care. Ventricular fibrillation – V-fib is a very serious condition that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death.

What is the first line treatment for arrhythmia?

RF ablation is frequently the first-line option in the management of arrhythmias such as AV nodal re-entry tachycardia or AV re-entry tachycardia including Wolff- Parkinson White syndrome, AF atrial flutter and ventricular tachycardia.

What will the hospital do for arrhythmia?

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) They are used to prevent or correct an arrhythmia, a heartbeat that is uneven or that is too slow or too fast. Defibrillators can also restore a heartbeat if the heart suddenly stops. Different types of defibrillators work in different ways.

At what heart rate should you go to the ER?

If you're sitting down and feeling calm, your heart shouldn't beat more than about 100 times per minute. A heartbeat that's faster than this, also called tachycardia, is a reason to come to the emergency department and get checked out. We often see patients whose hearts are beating 160 beats per minute or more.

What are the 4 types of arrhythmias?

There are five main types of arrhythmias, described by the speed of heart rate they cause and where they begin in the heart....Ventricular arrhythmiasVentricular fibrillation.Ventricular tachycardia.Premature ventricular beats (PVCs)Torsades de pointes.

How long does an arrhythmia last?

Heart arrhythmias occur when the heart beats too quickly, too slowly or irregularly. Remember that a heart arrhythmia is different from a heart attack. Heart arrhythmias are caused by electrical problems. Sometimes, it's just a single skipped beat, but arrhythmias can last minutes, hours, days and possibly years.

Can you live with arrhythmia?

You can certainly live a happy, healthy life with an irregular heartbeat. However, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor when you're experiencing new symptoms or discomfort.

What foods to avoid if you have arrhythmia?

Foods to avoid for AFibCaffeine and energy drinks.Alcohol. A 2014 study found that even moderate alcohol intake could be a risk factor for AFib. ... Red meat.Processed foods. Processed foods, such as ready meals or sausages, tend to have large quantities of salt and preservatives. ... Sugary foods and drinks.Salt.

How do you feel when you have arrhythmia?

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. It means your heart is out of its usual rhythm. It may feel like your heart skipped a beat, added a beat, or is "fluttering." It might feel like it's beating too fast (which doctors call tachycardia) or too slow (called bradycardia). Or you might not notice anything.

How do I get my heart back in rhythm?

Cardioversion is a medical procedure that uses quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm. It's a treatment for certain types of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), including atrial fibrillation (A-fib). Sometimes cardioversion is done using medications.

How serious is an irregular heart beat?

This type of arrhythmia occurs when rapid, chaotic electrical signals cause the lower heart chambers (ventricles) to quiver instead of contacting in a coordinated way that pumps blood to the rest of the body. This serious problem can lead to death if a normal heart rhythm isn't restored within minutes.

How do you feel when you have arrhythmia?

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat. It means your heart is out of its usual rhythm. It may feel like your heart skipped a beat, added a beat, or is "fluttering." It might feel like it's beating too fast (which doctors call tachycardia) or too slow (called bradycardia). Or you might not notice anything.

What are the 4 types of arrhythmias?

There are five main types of arrhythmias, described by the speed of heart rate they cause and where they begin in the heart....Ventricular arrhythmiasVentricular fibrillation.Ventricular tachycardia.Premature ventricular beats (PVCs)Torsades de pointes.

How long are you in the hospital after cardiac ablation?

Thanks to advances in technology and expertise, ablations today generally last between 2 and 3 hours. Ninety percent of ablation patients go home the next day. “Longer hospital stays in years past were attributed to the amount of liquid that patients received over the course of those longer procedures,” Dr.

How to treat arrhythmias?

Treatment depends on the type and severity of your arrhythmia. In some cases, no treatment is necessary. Treatment options include medications, lifestyle changes, invasive therapies, electrical devices or surgery. Medications.

What is supraventricular arrhythmia?

Supraventricular arrhythmias: Arrhythmias that begin in the atria (the heart’s upper chambers). “Supra” means above; “ventricular” refers to the lower chambers of the heart, or ventricles. Ventricular arrhythmias: Arrhythmias that begin in the ventricles (the heart’s lower chambers).

What is the best treatment for atrial fibrillation?

The Maze and modified Maze procedures are two surgeries used to correct atrial fibrillation.Your doctor will determine the best treatment for you and discuss these options with you, including more information about surgical treatment if it is an appropriate treatment option.

What is the name of the rapid but regular heart rhythm that comes from the atria?

A rapid but regular heart rhythm that comes from the atria. This type of arrhythmia begins and ends suddenly. Accessory pathway tachycardias (bypass tract tachycardias) A fast heart rhythm caused by an extra, abnormal electrical pathway or connection between the atria and ventricles.

What is the name of the irregular heartbeat?

An arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia) is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat.

Where does ventricular arrhythmia start?

A ventricular arrhythmia begins in the heart’s ventricles.

Why does my heart beat so slow?

Slow heart rhythms due to an abnormal SA node.

How do you treat arrhythmias?

Treatment for heart arrhythmias may also involve catheter procedures or surgery to implant a heart (cardiac) device. Certain arrhythmias may require open-heart surgery.

What to do if you think you have a heart arrhythmia?

If you think you may have a heart arrhythmia, make an appointment with your family doctor. If a heart arrhythmia is found early, your treatment may be easier and more effective. Eventually, however, you may be referred to a doctor trained in heart conditions (cardiologist).

How does catheter ablation work?

In catheter ablation, catheters are threaded through the blood vessels to the inner heart, and electrodes at the catheter tips map the spread of electrical impulses through the heart . Electrodes at the catheter tips transmit energy to destroy a small spot of heart tissue and create an electrical block along the pathway that's causing your arrhythmia.

What is an ICD for cardiac arrest?

An ICD is a battery-powered unit that's implanted under the skin near the collarbone — similar to a pacemaker.

What to do if you have an arrhythmia and you have difficulty exercising?

If doctors are evaluating you to determine if coronary artery disease may be causing the arrhythmia, and you have difficulty exercising, then your doctor may use a drug to stimulate your heart in a way that's similar to exercise. Tilt table test. Your doctor may recommend this test if you've had fainting spells.

Why do doctors use pacemakers?

If slow heartbeats (bradycardias) don't have a cause that can be corrected, doctors often treat them with a pacemaker because there aren't any medications that can reliably speed up the heart. A pacemaker is a small device that's usually implanted near your collarbone.

What is the best way to reset your heart rhythm?

Cardioversion. This method to reset the heart rhythm may be done with medications or as a procedure. Your doctor may recommend this treatment if you have a certain type of arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation.

What is cardiac arrhythmia?

Cardiac arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmias) is any abnormality in the normal activation sequence of the myocardium. The electrical impulses can cause the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), erratically (fibrillation), or too early (premature contraction). There can be early or extra beats in the atria or ventricle, rapid heart rates due to extra abnormal pathways between the atria and ventricles, and a delay or complete block of the electrical impulse as it travels from the sinus node to the ventricle. When the heart doesn’t beat properly, it can’t pump blood effectively. There are hundreds of different types of cardiac arrhythmias. The seriousness of cardiac arrhythmias depends on the presence or absence of structural heart disease.

What happens when the heart doesn't beat?

When the heart doesn’t beat properly, it can’t pump blood effectively. There are hundreds of different types of cardiac arrhythmias. The seriousness of cardiac arrhythmias depends on the presence or absence of structural heart disease. Cardiac Arrhythmias Resources. American Heart Association.

What age does Zachary's heart screening?

The Living For Zachary heart screening is a special program created to screen youth ages 12-22 for heart abnormalities that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

What to do for first consultation appointment?

For your first consultation appointment in our office, please eat, drink, and take your customary medications as you normally would.

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