Cardiac arrhythmia

The normal heart rate is between 50 and 100 beats per minute. The variability of the heart rate, for example during excitement or physical exertion, is normal and is not a cause for anxiety or concern per se.

A "cardiac arrhythmia" is an abnormal slowing or acceleration of the heart rate. A heart rate below 60 beats per minute at rest is called slowed down (bradycardia), a rate above 100 beats per minute at rest is called too fast (tachycardia).

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a change in the electrical excitation of the heart, in which the heart beats too slowly or too quickly, but above all irregularly. Atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia of all, can also increase the risk of stroke and reduce the heart's performance.

A typical symptom of atrial fibrillation is the sensation of palpitations or palpitations. These symptoms must be eliminated during treatment.

Atrial fibrillation can cause serious symptoms and should therefore be investigated and treated. This disease is caused by a kind of electrical storm in the "electrical wiring" in the heart. The pumping activities of the atria and ventricles are no longer coordinated, resulting in a decrease in cardiac output.

Symptoms

The different forms of cardiac arrhythmia often have similar symptoms: Palpitations, feelings of weakness, shortness of breath and an uncomfortable feeling in the chest. The most important symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia are

Tachycardia or skipped heartbeat
Dizziness: blackening before the eyes or fainting (sudden loss of consciousness)
Anxiety, inner restlessness and nervousness
Shortness of breath and poor performance

Causes

The cause of cardiac arrhythmia is a malfunction of the electrical excitation of the heart: The heart begins to work uncoordinated or inefficiently. Possible causes of cardiac dysrhythmia can be

Coronary heart disease and heart attack
Abnormalities in the electrical "pathways" of the heart
Imbalances in blood salts (electrolytes)
Aortic valve stenosis (heart valve defect)
Heart muscle inflammation
Heart muscle diseases (cardiomyopathies)
High blood pressure (arterial hypertension)
Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Certain drugs or medicines

Diagnosis

The optimal treatment strategy for patients with cardiac arrhythmia is developed individually after clarification of possible causes and other factors. We will be happy to advise you at the HerzKlinik. The diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias is carried out in several stages and involves a wide variety of methods. These include

Electrocardiogram (ECG): resting ECG, exercise ECG, long-term ECG
Echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart)
Blood test
Special imaging procedures: Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart (C-MRI) or cardiac CT