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Ventricular tachycardia: Electrical impulses originate from a site in the ventricles causing the heart rate to become excessively rapid.
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Ventricular fibrillation: The ventricles fire rapid and erratic signals. This condition causes an entirely uncoordinated, ineffective contraction that is best regarded as a tremor rather than a beat.
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Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs): A premature heartbeat arising from the ventricles causes the heart to pause somewhat before the next regular heartbeat.
Symptoms
There are many symptoms associated with arrhythmias. The most common symptoms include the following: chest pain, palpitations (racing heart or a fluttery feeling in your chest), dizziness, lightheadedness or a faintness sensation, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms can include fatigue and clammy or pale skin. The pulse rate or rhythm may change. Sometimes a person may be asymptomatic (no symptoms). Unfortunately, many of the life-threatening arrhythmias begin with no warning signs at all. Rather, they rapidly progress to a state of unconciousness, that if uncorrected emergently, frequently results in sudden cardiac death.
Diagnosis and tests
Doctors diagnose arrhythmias in several ways. A patient may develop symptoms that prompt the seeking of medical attention. Alternatively, a routine physical exam may reveal an irregular heart beat. Your physician will begin with a complete medical history that includes all past and ongoing medical problems and assess your current medications. He/She will inquire about any recent ingestion of caffeine or other stimulants, tobacco, and over-the-counter cold remedies and assess your stress level and sleep habits.
Occasionally, an arrhythmia can be discovered by feeling changes in pulse rate and rhythm or by listening to the heart with a stethoscope. Sometimes an arrhythmia does not occur during the physical exam. Other tests may allude to the diagnosis of an arrhythmia that was the cause of symptoms experienced previously.
The noninvasive electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most accurate way to diagnose an arrhythmia. An ECG measures the electrical activity that occurs in the heart. Leads are attached to the chest and body to record the electrical signals created by the heart. The signals are recorded on a strip of paper that is then interpreted by your physician. There are several types of ECGs that can be performed:
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