1. March to a Different Beat
People with cardiac arrhythmia experience an irregular heartbeat. Irregular heartbeats are caused by illnesses, electrolyte imbalances and sometimes by unknown factors. Some arrhythmias linger silently for years, causing no problems or symptoms. While many people with heart disease experience an irregular heartbeat, many with an irregular heartbeat don't have the disease. Extra beats, skipped beats, fast beats and slow beats are all considered cardiac arrhythmias, which affect almost a million people.
2. Evaluate Irregular Heartbeat
Palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness are all possible signs of cardiac arrhythmia. If you're experiencing any of these, schedule an evaluation with a cardiologist. Expect to have an electrocardiogram (ECG) where a technician will attach electrodes to your chest and pulse points. The ECG diagrams your heartbeat for the doctor to evaluate. A doctor might order an echocardiogram, which is similar to a picture of your heart, or a stress test to see how your heart reacts while your walk or run on a treadmill. Occasionally, the heart doesn't cooperate in the doctor's office, so a doctor will send you home with a Holter monitor, which is similar to a portable ECG machine and which you will wear for 24 hours. This small gadget looks like a tape recorder and records your heartbeat while you eat, sleep, exercise and play. These tests will help your cardiologist diagnose the type of arrhythmia you have and determine the treatment you need.
3. And the Beat Goes On
Often irregular heart beats need no treatment other than lifestyle changes. Stop smoking, eat a healthy diet and exercise to relieve stress on your heart. Drink adequate amounts of water to stay hydrated, as dehydration can cause problems with irregular heartbeats. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, which can make an arrhythmia worse. Some over-the-counter medications, including herbal remedies, contain stimulants, so always check labels.
4. Control Irregular Heartbeat with Medication
Depending on your diagnosis, a doctor may recommend antiarrhythmia drugs, beta blockers or anticoagulant medication. Antiarrhythmic drugs such as Norpace or Tambor tend to slow heart rates and establish normal rhythm. Beta blockers, often prescribed for high blood pressure, also can treat arrhythmias. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, reduce the risk of blood clots so your heart doesn't have to work as hard to beat.
5. Manage Arrhythmia Through Surgery
Sometimes an arrhythmia won't stop after you've made lifestyle changes or have taken medication. In these cases, surgeons can repair damage to a heart or implant a device in the body to maintain the heartbeat. A common surgery for irregular heart beats involves inserting a pacemaker for conditions such as heart block. About the size of a deck of cards, a pacemaker fits under the shoulder or in the stomach. A pacemaker regulates your heartbeat by sending small electrical impulses through wires entering the heart. Another device that treats fast heart rhythms such as ventricular tachycardia is an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
