Arrhythmias

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Heart, section through the middle Heart, front view Atrioventricular block, EKG tracing Normal heart rhythm Bradycardia Ventricular tachycardia Conduction system of the heart

Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Arrhythmias

When an arrhythmia is serious and not well-tolerated, urgent intervention may be required to restore normal rhythm.

Electrical "shock" (defibrillation or cardioversion), the implantation of a temporary pacemaker to interrupt the arrhythmia, or antiarrhythmic drugs may be used.

Most supraventricular arrythmias can be treated and cured with radiofrequency ablation, eliminating the need for lifelong drug therapy.

Increasingly, most ventricular tachycardias are treated with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). As soon as arrhythmia begins, the ICD detects it, and sends either an automatic electrical shock to terminate it, or a burst of pacing activity to overdrive it.

Symptomatic bradycardias and heart blocks are treated with the implantation of a pacemaker.

The outcome is dependent on several factors:

• The kind of arrhythmia -- whether it is supraventricular tachycardia, or a more dangerous arrhythmia such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, which are potentially fatal
• The overall pumping ability of the heart
• The underlying disease and its treatability

With bradycardias that are treated with a permanent pacemaker, there is usually good outcome.

• Angina (chest pain caused by imbalance of supply and demand for oxygen in the heart muscle)
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Sudden death

Call your provider if you develop symptoms indicating a possible arrhythmia.

Call your provider if an arrhythmia has been diagnosed and symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment.

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