Heart Rhythms




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The heart's main function is to pump blood and nutrients to the body. The regular beating, or contraction, of the heart moves the blood throughout the body. Each heartbeat is controlled by electrical impulses traveling through the heart. In the normal heart these electrical impulses occur in regular intervals. When something goes wrong with the heart’s electrical system, the heart does not beat regularly. The irregular beating results in a rhythm disorder, or arrhythmia.

For some it may not be possible to note changes in their heart rhythms.
Your doctor may suggest that you wear a Holter Monitor for 24 hours or more. The Holter monitor records electrical signals from the heart via a series of electrodes attached to the chest. Generally, the monitors cannot be worn in the shower.
In addition to wearing the device, most patients are asked to keep a diary of activities such as running and sleeping, symptoms, and times that their symptoms occur. This information is used by doctors and technicians to rapidly pinpoint problem areas in the vast amount of data recorded during the monitoring period. The recording device can be worn on a belt or in a case on a strap worn across the chest. Individuals who want to minimize the visibility of the device can wear layers or bulky clothes so the case is not as obvious. Source: Wikipedidia


        Atrial Fibrillation ?
     Source: Coumadin Site
  • Atrial Fibrillation (AF or A Fib) is a relatively common heart disorder. AF is an irregular, rapid contraction of the atria.
  • The human heart is made up of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) that normally work together to pump the blood throughout the body.
  • In AF, however, the atria beat out of rhythm with the rest of the heart. In fact, the atria may beat as many as 400 to 600 times a minute during AF, compared with a normal 60 to 100 times a minute.
  • These irregular, rapid contractions make it difficult for the left atrium to empty blood into the left ventricle, which then pumps the blood to the body.

af-heart 

Would you suspect you have AF?

  • Although some patients with AF experience no symptoms, many experience a wide variety of symptoms, including palpitations, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. So it is important to recognize the symptoms of AF so you can discuss them with your doctor.

Would you suspect you have AF?

  • Although some patients with AF experience no symptoms, many experience a wide variety of symptoms, including palpitations, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. So it is important to recognize the symptoms of AF so you can discuss them with your doctor.

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   What are the risks of AF?

  • heart rhythmsEven if your AF is barely noticeable, you must be aware of the possible dangers. If left untreated, AF can lead to serious consequences.

    Stroke

    • AF may increase your risk of stroke nearly five times. As a result, one of every six strokes occurs in a patient with AF.
    • Because the rapidly contracting atrium cannot empty properly, blood pools in the atrium and a clot may form. If these clots break free, they can lodge in an artery of the brain and cut off the blood supply to that area. This condition, known as stroke, can result in brain damage or death.

    Heart Failure

    • AF may be associated with heart failure - a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to support the rest of the tissues of the body.


    Supraventricular tachycardia, or paroxysmal SVT
  Supraventricular arrhythmias are very common in middle-aged and elderly adults. The older you get, the more likely you are to experience an arrhythmia, especially atrial fibrillation (see insert below)

In supraventricular tachycardia, the heart rate is sped up by an abnormal electrical impulse starting in the atria.

  • The heart beats so fast that the heart muscle cannot relax between contractions.
  • When the chambers don't relax, they cannot contract strongly or fill with enough blood to satisfy the body's needs.
  • Because of the ineffective contractions of the heart, the brain does not receive enough blood and oxygen. You can become light-headed, dizzy, or feel like fainting (syncope).
                            stethoscope


   Atrial flutter:
Atrial flutter is an abnormality of the heart rhythm, resulting in a rapid and sometimes irregular heartbeat. The main danger of atrial flutter is that the heart does not pump blood well when it is beating too fast. As a result vital organs, such as the heart and brain, may not get enough oxygen from the blood.

Under normal circumstances, these impulses are generated by the heart's natural pacemaker.

Atrial flutter occurs when these electrical impulses take an abnormal path through the atria.
     

 

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