A healthy, properly functioning heart beats rhythmically via the sinus node. It has its own pacemaker that allows the heart chambers to contract and push blood to all the organs of our body. When this pacemaker is damaged, the heart stops working properly, slows down or speeds up.
Symptoms and course arrhythmia
Disruption to the normal functioning of our heart leads to characteristic symptoms that prevent us from functioning efficiently on a daily basis. A healthy heart beats at a rate of approx. 60-80 beats per minute, slows down somewhat at night and speeds up during exercise.
However, there are cases when the heart slows down or speeds up for no particular reason, in which case we are dealing with cardiac arrhythmia. It cannot be said to be a disease, but is rather defined as a symptom caused by various problems (diseases) related to the heart itself or other systemic diseases, e.g. atherosclerosis, potassium deficiency, hypertension and the use of certain medications. Arrhythmias may also occur as a result of consuming large amounts of strong tea or coffee or various stimulants.
This condition is most often experienced as:
- very strong beats,
- jerks,
- palpitations,
- choking,
- choking,
- severe pressure, chest pain.
Patients also frequently report:
- headaches,
- dizziness,
- a feeling of suffocating,
- fainting,
- loss of consciousness.
If these symptoms appear, medical consultation and treatment are necessary. This type of arrhythmia can be dangerous and requires treatment.
When to go to the doctor and treating arrhythmia
Diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias:
If there are worrying symptoms, a medical consultation and tests are necessary: auscultation of the heart, measurement of the pulse and ECG examination. Sometimes he orders daily (or longer) monitoring of the heart by Holter.
The treatment of arrhythmia includes many pharmacological agents but also a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillator, resynchronisation systems or RF ablation. It is a symptom that can be lived with and function normally, but regular medical appointments and health checks are necessary. A healthy lifestyle should also not be forgotten.
