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What is Arrhythmia ?


What is Arrhythmia?

Arrhythmia is an irregularity in a persons heart beat. Over 2 million people in the UK have Arrhythmia and if properly diagnosed a person can live a relatively normal life.


Main types or Arrhythmia:

-Atrial fibrillation

most commen type of arrhythmia where the heart beats irregularly/ faster than normal


-Supraventricular tachycardia

periods of unusually fast heart rate while at rest


-Bradycardia

when the heart beats more slowly than usual


-Heart block

similar to bradycardia (heart beats more slowly than usual) but can cause people to collapse


-Ventricular fibrillation

a rare type of arrhythmia, leads to rapid and disorganised heart rate that can cause loss of consciousness and sudden death if not treated in time


Causes of Arrhythmia:

-excessive consumption of alcohol

-being overweight

-heart attacks

-heart failure

-strokes

-viral illnesses

-changes in posture

-diseased/damaged heart tissue


Preventing Arrhythmia:

Although preventing arrhythmia is not always possible, leading a generally healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risk of arrhythmia.


Symptoms:

-heart palpitations

-dizziness

-fainting

-shortness of breath


Treatment for Arrhythmia:

-Medicine - to control/stop/prevent arrhythmia


-Electrical cardioversion - a type of treatment that uses an electrical shock to bring the heart beat back into a normal rythm (whilst a person is anaesthetised/sedated)


-Catheter ablation - a surgery that destroys the disseased tissue in your heart causing the arrhythmia


-Pacemaker - a small device thats implanted in your chest that produces electrical signals to help your heart beat at a normal rate


-Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) - similar to a pacemaker but it monitors your heart beat and shocks your heart back into a normal rhythm when necessary.


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