Causes and treatments for arrhythmias

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Tung Hoanh - Interventional Cardiologist - Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Arrhythmia is a disease related to the heart's rhythm control operation, indicating an abnormality in the frequency and/or rhythm of the heart caused by abnormalities of the electrical conduction system in the heart.

Arrhythmia is a characteristic heart disease, caused by an irregular heart rate or rhythm, which can be too fast, too slow, too erratic .... This disease is more common in men in 70% of cases. in case, only 30% are female
Tachycardia means a faster-than-normal heart rate - more than 100 beats/min. Bradycardia means a heart rate that is slower than normal - less than 60 beats per minute.

There are many causes of arrhythmias including:
2.1 Cardiac causes Many types of arrhythmias are complications of cardiovascular diseases, such as:
Coronary artery disease (causing angina and heart attack) Heart valve disease Hypertension Age-related degeneration Cardiomyopathy Congenital electrical impulse conduction abnormalities 2.2 Non-cardiac causes With certain medications, hyperthyroidism can sometimes trigger the onset of the disorder. arrhythmia . In many cases the cause of the arrhythmia is unknown.

Symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the condition. If the arrhythmia occurs intermittently, symptoms appear and then disappear spontaneously. Symptoms that may appear include:
Feeling of palpitations, however palpitations are also common in people without arrhythmias, so it is important to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. . Unusually fast, unusually slow, or irregular pulse. Dizziness or feeling like you want to pass out. Shortness of breath. Sometimes chest pain occurs. Some types of arrhythmias are more serious than others. If the heart rate is too fast or too slow, the blood volume will not be enough, which can cause heart failure.
In young children, arrhythmias will be difficult to detect because the only hint is a change in behavior or a change in eating.

Each type of arrhythmia has a unique treatment, and it is also important to treat the underlying causes (such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, etc.) . Treatment methods include:
Use of drugs: Depending on the type of arrhythmia, appropriate medication will be used. Catheter destruction (catheter ablation): A catheter is inserted from the femoral vein into the heart chamber, the tip of the catheter is capable of destroying a small portion of heart tissue that is the site of the onset or initial stimulation. abnormal electrical impulses. Cardioversion is an option to treat some types of tachycardia. The patient will be given an electric shock after anesthesia to return the abnormal heart rhythm to normal. Artificial pacemaker : Used in case of complete heart block and some other specific cases. A small device for pacing the heart is implanted in the patient's chest, which then paces and maintains a normal heart rhythm for the patient. Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs): These small devices, similar to artificial pacemakers, are implanted in the patient's chest to monitor heart rhythm, when abnormal rhythms are detected. will produce a short electric shock to prevent.

The main types of arrhythmias include:
Extrasystoles: These are abnormal heart rhythms that appear in addition to the normal heart rhythm. They are quite common and usually harmless, and are also often overlooked. The caffeine in tea, coffee, and alcohol can cause more extrasystoles than usual. Supraventricular tachycardia. Tinnitus. Atrial flutter: Symptoms are quite similar to atrial fibrillation. The atria beat at a rate of about 300 beats/min but the ventricles do not beat as fast, with a frequency of about 75 - 150 beats/min. Ventricular tachycardia: An uncommon arrhythmia. The ventricles beat faster than normal (rate of 120-200 beats/min), while the atria beat at a normal rate. The abnormal electrical impulse is triggered somewhere in the ventricles, causing the ventricles to beat with this impulse but not with the normal pulse. Ventricular fibrillation: A condition in which there are many abnormal electrical impulses originating from different locations of the ventricles, causing the heart muscle to continuously contract but not have enough force to pump blood out of the heart. This is a life-threatening condition and often causes cardiac arrest, requiring immediate emergency intervention within minutes. Heart block: When all or part of an electrical impulse is blocked in the conduction pathway between the atria and ventricles. Sinus node failure syndrome: The sinus node, where the heart's electrical impulses originate, is damaged, causing the heart to slow or lose some beats. In some cases, the heart alternates between fast and slow beats.

By clinical examination, doctors can detect patients with arrhythmias.
In some cases of dizziness, fainting, suspected arrhythmia, laboratory methods (including electrocardiogram) can determine whether the cause is arrhythmia, and of any kind.
If you have intermittent arrhythmia, a standard electrocardiogram will not be detected once. Therefore, the patient needs to have an ambulatory electrocardiogram - which measures the electrical activity of the patient's heart while the patient is living a normal life.
In certain cases, the patient needs a stress ECG to reveal intermittent arrhythmias.
Vinmec International General Hospital is currently implementing the Cardiac Arrhythmia Examination Package, which uses the Holter electrocardiogram method to detect cardiac arrhythmias. The examination package is performed by a team of well-trained doctors, experienced in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases, always devoted and wholehearted to the patient, with the support of modern machinery and equipment. Modern technology will help detect arrhythmias early and most accurately, so that appropriate treatment can be given.
Ths.BS. Nguyen Tung Hoanh has experience and strength in Cardiovascular Resuscitation - Emergency: Hypertension, Peripheral Vascular Diseases, acute and chronic coronary artery diseases, ..in addition, the doctor also treats other diseases. Comorbidities such as: Diabetes, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Kidney diseases, respiratory diseases, etc. Currently, Dr. Hoanh is an interventional cardiologist at the Department of Resuscitation - Emergency - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.