When your heart’s beating normally, you may not think about it much, but when it gets out of rhythm, it can be a little alarming. An occasional abnormal heart rhythm is usually nothing to be concerned about, but when the heart often beats too fast, too slow or irregularly, it could be a heart rhythm disorder.
According to the National Institutes of Health, heart rhythm disorders affect up to 5 percent of people in the United States—that’s more than 16 million people. Keep reading to learn more about this type of heart condition.
Common Types of Heart Rhythm Disorders
There are multiple heart rhythm disorders, also called cardiac arrhythmias, with each type disrupting the normal heart rhythm in some way. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type, affecting more than 12 million people in the United States.
AFib causes the heart to beat more than 400 times per minute. If you’re diagnosed with AFib, your heart’s upper and lower chambers aren’t working well together. This keeps the lower chambers of the heart from filling completely and effectively pumping blood to the lungs and body.
Other heart rhythm disorders include:
- Atrial flutter - This arrhythmia occurs when electrical signals cause the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) to beat up to 350 times per minute.
- Bradycardia - This heart rhythm disorder is a resting heart rate that’s slower than 60 beats per minute.
- Tachycardia - This arrhythmia is a resting heart rate that’s faster than 100 beats per minute.
- Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) - SVT occurs when electrical signals from the upper chambers of the heart to the lower chambers go out of control, leading the heart to beat faster.
- Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) - VT occurs when electrical signals cause the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles) to beat very fast. This disrupts the heart’s pumping function, which can quickly lead to fainting or cardiac arrest and death.
It’s important to note that it’s possible to have a resting heart rate under 60 and not have a heart rhythm disorder. In many cases, it can be normal for younger adults and those who are physically active to have a slower resting heart rate.
Diagnosis and Symptoms
Many people with heart rhythm disorders don’t experience any noticeable symptoms. Cardiac arrhythmias are often diagnosed during routine medical exams when a medical provider listens to your heart and checks your pulse.
Patients who do experience symptoms will usually notice a change in their heart beat. It may beat faster, slower, feel weird or “off.” It may even seem like your heart is skipping a beat. Other symptoms can include:
- Anxiety
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness or fainting
- Fatigue
- Weakness
If you’re experiencing symptoms, seek medical attention. Some symptoms, such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, should be checked out in an emergency setting since they can be signs of a heart attack or another life-threatening issue.
Multiple tests may be used to diagnose an arrhythmia, including:
- Blood tests
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Ambulatory heart rhythm monitor, which records your heart’s electrical activity over a period of time
- Electrophysiology study
- Heart imaging tests, such as echocardiogram or cardiac MRI
- Tilt table testing
Treatment Options
If you’re diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder, your treatment plan will depend on several factors, including the type of arrhythmia you have and its severity. Treatment may include the following:
Lifestyle Changes
Smoking, using illegal drugs and consuming alcohol can increase your risk of arrhythmias, so you’ll be advised to stop. If you have medical conditions that can contribute to a heart rhythm disorder, such as diabetes, an electrolyte imbalance or mental health issues, managing those conditions is also important.
Medications
Many different medications may be used to treat an arrhythmia. Your treatment plan may include medications that:
- Change heart rhythms from abnormal to normal
- Control heart rate
- Keep blood clots from forming
- Treat underlying conditions causing arrhythmias
Procedures
If you have a heart rhythm disorder that’s severe or doesn’t respond to other treatment options, your provider may recommend procedures to correct the problem. This can include cardioversion, which synchronizes the heart and restores a normal rhythm, or ablation procedures that destroy (or “ablate”) heart tissue causing an arrhythmia.
In some cases, treatment may also include a minimally invasive procedure to implant a device that prevents or corrects abnormal heart rhythms, including serious cardiac arrhythmias, such as VT. These devices include pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or biventricular pacemakers and defibrillators.
In some cases, a surgical team step in to treat arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation that doesn’t respond to other techniques, for example, may be treated using a maze procedure to create scar tissue in the area of the heart responsible for the abnormal rhythm.
If you have another heart condition causing an arrhythmia, such as a valve abnormality or atherosclerosis, treating that condition using surgery may alleviate the heart rhythm problem.
Living with a Heart Rhythm Disorder
In many cases, people live long and full lives with abnormal heart rhythms. Along with undergoing treatment as directed by your care team, you’ll also want to do what you can to protect your heart.
Your provider can recommend practicing healthy lifestyle habits, including being more physically active, eating a heart-healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables, prioritizing getting enough sleep and finding healthy ways to manage stress.
Prevention Strategies
If you’re at a high risk of developing an arrhythmia due to factors like a family history of heart rhythm disorders, you can take steps to lower your risk. The healthy lifestyle habits listed above are a good place to begin.
Meet with your primary care provider about your risk factors and other ways you can keep your heart’s electrical system operating at its best. That may include limiting caffeine intake, managing health conditions such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea and avoiding certain activities that might trigger an arrhythmia.
Your Next Steps In Arrhythmia Care
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia or are at risk of developing one, your next best move is to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider and ask them about seeing a cardiologist.
A cardiologist can take a good look at your heart health and refer you to an electrophysiologist with specialty training in how the heart’s electrical system works, if needed.
Heart Care Resources at University Health
At University Health, we are taking steps to address community needs within Bexar County. This is why we are excited to offer resources for patients and non-patients. Visit our Institute for Public Health to find heart health resources.
You can also learn more about the heart care services we offer.
