Abnormal Heart Rhythms and Sudden Death Explained
Contributed by Kate Macmorn
People with abnormal heart rhythms need to find the causes behind the irregularities.
Understanding an abnormal rhythm, the different types, risk factors, and causes can help prevent a person from sudden death.
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What Is An Abnormal Heart Rhythm?
An abnormal heart rhythm, also known as a heart arrhythmia, is an irregular heartbeat that occurs when the signals in the heart are not firing properly.
Suppose the electrical pulses within the heart are firing out of synchronization. In that case, this can cause pain, fluttering, anxiety, dizziness, or nausea.
A heart arrhythmia is classed into two groups based on the speed of the heart:
- Tachycardia — This is a fast heartbeat that is higher than 100 beats per minute (BPM).
- Bradycardia — This is a slow heartbeat that is less than 60 BPM.
Tachycardia
Various types of tachycardia can affect a person’s heartbeat:
- Atrial flutter — Atrial flutter is an “organized” flutter that can eventually lead to a stroke.
- Atrial fibrillation — Also known as Afib, this unreasonable heart firing can lead to an uncoordinated heart rate.
- Supraventricular tachycardia — This term includes arrhythmias that are caused by long periods of heavy palpitations.
- Ventricular fibrillation — This type of arrhythmia causes the heart chambers to flutter, instead of contracting, limiting the blood flow to the extremity in the body. This problem, when left untreated, can lead to serious problems or death.
- Ventricular tachycardia — This tachycardia causes a rapid but regular heart rate that does not pump enough blood to the body.
Bradycardia
A heart that beats less than 60 beats per minute is considered a very slow heartbeat.
In some cases, this is very healthy and not considered a problem (ex: athletes, physical fitness, marines, etc.). However, in certain cases, bradycardia is a sign of one of the following illnesses:
- Sick sinus — Sick sinus syndrome can cause the heart to alternate between too-fast and too-slow beats.
- Conduction block — If the electrical pathways are too slow or stop altogether, this can cause an irregular and slow heartbeat.
Symptoms of an Abnormal Heartbeat
Suppose you think that you may have tachycardia or bradycardia. In that case, there are signs and symptoms to look out for to help diagnose and treat your abnormal heartbeat.
Most heart arrhythmias cause a few noticeable symptoms, such as:
- Chest fluttering
- Tachycardia
- Bradycardia
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
When You Should Seek Medical Help
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, it may be time to seek medical help and see a doctor. If it feels like your heart is beating irregularly, whether it be too fast or too slow, this is a warning sign that you should see a professional as soon as possible. Suppose you have more severe symptoms, like shortness of breath, chest pain, or lightheadedness. In that case, we recommend going to the emergency room.
Causes of an Abnormal Heartbeat
There are many causes of an abnormal heartbeat.
Learning them can provide a patient with information regarding how a heart works, how to treat their illness, and how to prevent it from getting any worse.
The most common causes of an abnormal heartbeat are the following:
- Heart attack — Blockage of blood in the heart that causes the tissues to lose oxygen, leading to fatigue, chest pain, and lightheadedness
- Coronary artery disease — Damage within the heat’s blood vessels that can lead to a plaque buildup and limited blood flow
- Cardiomyopathy — Hereditary heart disease that reduces the effectiveness of delivering blood to the rest of the body
- Diabetes — Disease with too much blood sugar
- High blood pressure — Excess force of blood against the artery walls, which can lead to heart disease and stroke
- Hyperthyroidism — Excess thyroxine production that can cause weight loss, sweating, anxiousness, and irritability
- Sleep apnea — A sleep disorder that causes the body’s breathing to stop and start rapidly
- Hypothyroidism — Underactive thyroid gland, which can cause fatigue, constipation, and weight gain
- Drug abuse
Causes of Sudden Death
If you are experiencing an irregular heartbeat, this can indicate ventricular fibrillation or V-fib.
V-fib can lead to a very fast drop in blood pressure, resulting in fainting, slow pulse, and deteriorated breathing. If this occurs, someone may collapse in seconds.
Ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in patients with an abnormal heart rhythm.
If a person is not treated immediately through CPR and an automated external defibrillator, a person will be dead in just a few minutes. The uncoordinated heart rates will cause the blood to stop pumping, lowering the blood pressure, and damaging the body’s internal organs.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of heart rhythms can help a person self-diagnose.
As soon as you notice any dangerous warning signs, you should seek professional medical help.
Recognizing and diagnosing tachycardia or bradycardia can be the difference between lessening risk factors and being a victim of sudden death.
Author Bio:
Kate Macmorn, Communications Director, AMRI
Kate is the communications director for the American Medical Resource Institute. They’ve trained over a million healthcare professionals to study for, earn and maintain life support certifications that allow them to better respond to cardiac emergencies. You can find Kate practising her tennis skills when not in the office. She also frequents live music venues and is always looking for her next creative hobby.
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Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
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