Arrhythmia (palpitations) is a heart rate or rhythm disorder. Irregular heartbeat, including heart beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow or too early is referred to as arrhythmia. If your heart does not beat properly, it cannot pump blood properly. This in turn can create problems in the functioning of lungs, brain and other vital organs. Some types of arrhythmias are very brief. For instance, a temporary pause in the heart beat or premature beat is also a type of arrhythmia, but it may not affect the overall heart rate. If the heart rhythm problem lasts for a long time, it can make your heart pump blood less effectively. Atrial fibrillation is another type that is quite common cardiac arrhythmia wherein the patient experiences irregular heart beat.
Check This Video :
Causes of Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia occurs, when the normal conduction pathway of the heart is interrupted. The heart has rapidly firing cells that make natural pacemaker. When this area develops an abnormal rate, arrhythmia occurs. There is no recognizable cause for this condition. Heart problems may cause arrhythmia. Taking excessive caffeine products, alcohol, tobacco, diet pills, cough medicines and stress may cause this condition. High blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, diabetes and scarring of the heart may cause problems in heart beat.
Arrhythmia problem may be aggravated, if any condition changes the structure of your heart. Reduction in blood supply to the heart can change the ability of heart cells and tissues, which in turn can cause heart rhythm problems. Damaged heart tissue may also lead to arrhythmia development.
Symptoms of Arrhythmia
If the irregular heart beat lasts for a few minutes, there may be no symptoms. It creates a skipped heart beat like feeling, which you may not even notice. A fluttering feel in the neck or chest may be a symptom of mild arrhythmia. If it is severe and lasts for a long period, it shows many arrhythmia symptoms. Atrial flutter is a cardiac arrhythmia where the atrial rate is between 240 and 400 heart beats/ minute. Along with this there is some degree of atrioventricular node conduction block.
• Light headedness is the most obvious symptom of this condition. If it is accompanied by extreme tiredness, it may be fatal.
• Shortness of breath, loss of consciousness and chest pain may be experienced. In serious cases, it can cause heart attack and death.
• Dizziness, confusion, concentration problems, palpitations, fainting and fatigue are the common symptoms of a type of arrhythmia, where heart beats too slowly.
Treatment of Arrhythmia
If your arrhythmia condition is caused by heart disease, treating it can help you get relief from irregular heart beat problems. Drugs are prescribed by the doctor to treat arrhythmia. If the symptoms last for longer period, the doctor may apply electric shock to the chest wall to restore the heart to its normal rate. However, this treatment is used only in emergency situations.
Serious arrhythmias causing problems in the ventricles may be rectified by placing automatic implantable defibrillators surgically inside your chest. Artificial pacemaker may also be placed to make the heart to beat normally. The pacemaker is placed under the skin. Surgery may be required in serious cases. The tissue causing arrhythmia is changed or removed in surgery.
Medication of Arrhythmia
Various medications and stimulants can result in arrhythmia. Some of them are appetite suppressants, caffeine, alcohol, specific asthma medicines, thyroid medicines, etc. Thus, medication given to treat arrhythmia stabilizes the heart beat or treats an overactive thyroid gland as the case may be.
Anti-arrhythmic medications does not treat the problem, rather it just slows down the heart beat when an event occurs. Certain medicines slow the heart more than needed; and in such cases a pacemaker may be needed. Therefore, you must always take medication exactly as per your doctor's advice.
Self-medication of Arrhythmia
• Reducing stress using some relaxation therapy can help prevent arrhythmia.
• Ensure that you get sufficient sleep. Sleeping on your stomach or left side should be avoided.
• You can try to avoid or reduce the intake of hot and spicy foods.
• Quitting smoking is beneficial for your heart.
• Check your blood pressure on a regular basis. Take medications if it is low or high.
• Limit the consumption of caffeine products.
• Taking three ounce of oily fish weekly can help enhance your heart health.
• Diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent arrhythmia. Avoiding saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol can help prevent heart rhythm problems. You can take fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, lean meat, low fat dairy products, olive oil, beans and fish. Doing some exercises like brisk walking, bicycling, running and swimming can help to keep your weight under control. It also helps prevent heart diseases.
Alternative treatments of Arrhythmia
Ayurveda has some medications for treating arrhythmias. The practitioner may advice you to take triphala churna with lukewarm water at bed time daily. Some Ayurvedic powders like arjuanarishta, drakshasava, hridayarnava rasa, nagarjunabhra rasa and akik pishti can help enhance your heart health. Taking arrhythmia medicines after consulting an Ayurvedic practitioner can help you get relief from this condition without any side effects.
0 comments :
Post a Comment