How is arrhythmia caused

T—Time: If you observe any of these signs , call immediately. Every minute matters. Read more about the signs and symptoms of a stroke. If you have arrhythmia, you will need to learn ways to care for your condition at home. You will also need to avoid activities that may trigger your arrhythmia. We are committed to advancing science and translating discoveries into clinical practice to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, including arrhythmia.

Learn about the current and future NHLBI efforts to improve health through research and scientific discovery. Learn about the following ways the NHLBI continues to translate current research into improved health for people with arrhythmia. Learn about some of the pioneering research contributions we have made over the years that have improved clinical care. In support of our mission , we are committed to advancing arrhythmia research in part through the following ways.

We lead or sponsor many studies on arrhythmia. See whether you or someone you know is eligible to participate in our clinical trials. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial. View all trials from ClinicalTrials. After reading our Arrhythmia Health Topic, you may be interested in additional information found in the following resources.

Also known as Dysrhythmia. An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slowly, or with an irregular rhythm. When a heart beats too fast, the condition is called tachycardia. When a heart beats too slowly, the condition is called bradycardia. Arrhythmia is caused by changes in heart tissue and activity or in the electrical signals that control your heartbeat.

These changes can be caused by damage from disease, injury, or genetics. Often there are no symptoms, but some people feel an irregular heartbeat. You may feel faint or dizzy or have difficulty breathing. Your doctor will run other tests as needed. She or he may recommend medicines, placement of a device that can correct an irregular heartbeat, or surgery to repair nerves that are overstimulating the heart. If arrhythmia is left untreated, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body.

This can damage the heart, the brain, or other organs. Explore this Health Topic to learn more about arrhythmia, our role in research and clinical trials to improve health, and where to find more information. Types - Arrhythmia. Premature or extra heartbeat. Supraventricular arrhythmia. Types of supraventricular arrhythmias include: Atrial fibrillation. This is one of the most common types of arrhythmia.

The heart can race at more than beats per minute. Atrial flutter. Atrial flutter can cause the upper chambers to beat to times per minute. The signal that tells the upper chambers to beat may be disrupted when it encounters damaged tissue, such as a scar.

The signal may find an alternate path, creating a loop that causes the upper chamber to beat repeatedly. As with atrial fibrillation, some but not all of these signals travel to the lower chambers. As a result, the upper chambers and lower chambers beat at different rates.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia PSVT. In PSVT, electrical signals that begin in the upper chambers and travel to the lower chambers cause extra heartbeats. This arrhythmia begins and ends suddenly. It can happen during vigorous physical activity. It is usually not dangerous and tends to occur in young people. Ventricular arrhythmia. Ventricular tachycardia is a fast, regular beating of the ventricles that may last for only a few seconds or for much longer.

A few beats of ventricular tachycardia often do not cause problems. However, episodes that last for more than a few seconds can be dangerous. Ventricular tachycardia can turn into other more serious arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, or v-fib. Torsades de pointes is a type of arrhythmia that causes a unique pattern on an EKG and often leads to v-fib. Ventricular fibrillation occurs if disorganized electrical signals make the ventricles quiver instead of pumping normally.

Without the ventricles pumping blood to the body, sudden cardiac arrest and death can occur within a few minutes. Causes - Arrhythmia. Changes to the heart. Exertion or strain. Imbalances in the blood. An excess of thyroid hormone can cause the heart to beat faster, and thyroid deficiency can slow your heart rate. Dehydration can cause the heart to race. Low blood sugar, from an eating disorder or insulin doses that are too high in someone who has diabetes, can lead to slow or extra heartbeats.

Low levels of potassium, magnesium, or calcium can trigger arrhythmia. These electrolyte disturbances can occur after a heart attack or surgery. Problems with the electrical signals in the heart. Disorders of electrical signaling in the heart are called conduction disorders. Want to learn more about why arrhythmias occur? Read more. The parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate and prepares other functions when the body is at rest.

It is stimulated by extreme cold or bouts of coughing. Nerve activity slows electrical signals in the heart and extends the time it takes for the heart to relax and fill. Overstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system can lead to bradycardia.

The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action, making the heart beat faster and making it easier to breathe. The adrenal glands release the hormone adrenaline that sparks these changes. Overstimulation from intense stress can also cause tachyarrhythmias.

Read less. Look for. Treatment will discuss heart-healthy lifestyle changes that your doctors may recommend if you are diagnosed with arrhythmia. Risk Factors - Arrhythmia. Family history and genetics. Lifestyle habits. Your risk for arrhythmia may be higher because of certain lifestyle habits, including: Drinking alcohol Smoking Using illegal drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines. Other medical conditions. These include: Aneurysms Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus Cardiomyopathy , which affects the heart muscle Diabetes, which increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease Eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, which cause electrolyte imbalance and severe malnutrition Heart attack Heart inflammation Heart failure , which weakens the heart and changes the way electrical signals move through the heart Heart tissue that is too thick or stiff or that has not formed normally.

Arrhythmias can be more common among people who have had surgery to repair a congenital heart defect. Additionally, we offer information and resources on how we are working hard to support necessary COVID research. Kidney disease Heart valves. Leaking or narrowed heart valves make the heart work too hard and can lead to heart failure.

Low blood sugar Lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD Musculoskeletal disorders Obesity Overactive or underactive thyroid gland, caused by too much or too little thyroid hormone in the body.

Sepsis , a toxic immune response to infection Sleep apnea , which can stress the heart by preventing it from getting enough oxygen. Race or ethnicity. Screening and Prevention - Arrhythmia. Screening tests. Your doctor may also give you a portable monitor to wear for a day or several days if no arrhythmia was detected during testing in the clinic.

If you have a child who is at risk of arrhythmia because of a genetic condition, the doctor may recommend regular testing for your child and his or her siblings. Genetic testing can help you understand your risk when a family member has been diagnosed with a genetic condition. Testing is especially important if your newborn or another close relative died suddenly and had a genetic risk. Your doctor may also suggest genetic testing if you have a history of fainting or have survived cardiac arrest or near drowning.

Imaging tests, such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging MRI , can help detect scarring or other problems that can increase your risk of arrhythmia. Prevention strategies. Learn about prevention strategies that your doctor may recommend, including: Avoiding triggers, such as caffeine or stimulant medicines, that can cause arrhythmias or make them worse. Your doctor can also help if you are trying to avoid illegal drugs. Getting an implantable or wearable cardioverter defibrillator to prevent sudden cardiac arrest from arrhythmia if you have heart disease.

Defibrillators can correct arrhythmias by sending an electric shock to the heart. Making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, such as heart-healthy eating , being physically active , aiming for a healthy weight , quitting smoking , and managing stress Monitoring you after surgery, if you are having heart surgery.

The surgical team may also use medicine and maintain or supplement electrolyte levels during or after the procedure to prevent arrhythmia. If your child is a newborn, follow safe sleep recommendations to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome SIDS. Diagnosis will explain tests and procedures that your doctor may use to diagnose types of arrhythmia. Living With will discuss what your doctor may recommend to prevent your arrhythmia from recurring, getting worse, or causing complications.

Research for Your Health will discuss how we are using current research and advancing research to prevent arrhythmia. Participate in NHLBI Clinical Trials will explain our open and enrolling clinical studies that are investigating prevention strategies for arrhythmia. Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Arrhythmia. Signs and symptoms. More serious signs and symptoms include: Anxiety Blurred vision Chest pain Difficulty breathing Fainting or nearly fainting Foggy thinking Fatigue Sweating Weakness, dizziness, and light-headedness What else will your doctor want to know about your symptoms?

Did it happen at night? Did you stand up after sitting or lying down? Were you lying down? Were you playing a sport or otherwise exerting yourself? Were you swimming or diving?

Cognitive impairment and dementia. This may be due to reduced blood flow to the brain over time. Heart failure. Repeat arrhythmias can lead to a rapid decline in the ability of the lower chambers to pump blood.

Heart failure is especially likely to develop or to grow worse as a result of arrhythmia when you already have heart disease. This can occur in some patients who have atrial fibrillation. With arrhythmia, blood can pool in the atria, causing blood clots to form.

If a clot breaks off and travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. Sudden cardiac arrest. The heart may suddenly and unexpectedly stop beating as a result of ventricular fibrillation. Sudden infant death syndrome SIDS. SIDS can be attributed to an inherited conduction disorder that causes arrhythmia. Worsening arrhythmia. Some arrhythmias trigger another type of arrhythmia or get worse over time. Diagnosis will explain tests and procedures used to detect signs of arrhythmia and help rule our other conditions that may mimic arrhythmia.

Treatment will discuss treatment-related complications or side effects. Diagnosis - Arrhythmia. Medical history. Physical exam. During a physical exam, your doctor may take these steps: Check for swelling in your legs or feet, which could be a sign of an enlarged heart or heart failure Check your pulse to find out how fast your heart is beating Listen to the rate and rhythm of your heartbeat Listen to your heart for a heart murmur Look for signs of other diseases, such as thyroid disease, that could be causing the arrhythmia.

Diagnostic tests and procedures. Your doctor may order some of the following tests to diagnose arrhythmia: Blood tests to check the level of certain substances in the blood, such as potassium and thyroid hormone, that can increase your risk of arrhythmia. Cardiac catheterization to see whether you have complications from heart disease. Chest X-ray to show whether your heart is larger than normal. Echocardiography echo to provide information about the size and shape of your heart and how well it is working.

Echocardiography may also be used to diagnose fetal arrhythmia in the womb. This is the most common test used to diagnose arrhythmias. Electrophysiology study EPS to look at the electrical activity of the heart. The study uses a wire to electrically stimulate your heart and trigger an arrhythmia. If your doctor has already detected another condition that raises your risk, an EPS can help him or her assess the possibility that an arrhythmia will develop.

An EPS also allows your doctor to see whether a treatment, such as medicine, will stop the problem. Implantable loop recorder to detect abnormal heart rhythms. An implantable loop recorder helps doctors figure out why a person may be having palpitations or fainting spells, especially if these symptoms do not happen very often. You should request a copy of your ECG.

Take it with you to see the cardiologist or heart rhythm specialist and always keep a copy for future use. How your arrhythmia will be treated will depend on whether it is a fast or slow arrhythmia or heart block.

Any underlying causes of your arrhythmia, such as heart failure, will need to be treated as well. If your job involves working at height or with machinery that could be dangerous, you will need to stop work at least until your arrhythmia is diagnosed or you get treatment for your underlying condition. Get advice from your GP or cardiologist. Find heart disease information and support services.

Find atrial fibrillation services. Find pacemaker implantation services. Supraventricular tachycardia. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

Page last reviewed: 14 September Next review due: 14 September The main types of arrhythmia are: atrial fibrillation AF — this is the most common type, where the heart beats irregularly and faster than normal supraventricular tachycardia — episodes of abnormally fast heart rate at rest bradycardia — the heart beats more slowly than normal heart block — the heart beats more slowly than normal and can cause people to collapse ventricular fibrillation — a rare, rapid and disorganised rhythm of heartbeats that rapidly leads to loss of consciousness and sudden death if not treated immediately Arrhythmias can affect all age groups, but atrial fibrillation is more common in older people.

Heart attack. Heart Failure. Metabolic Syndrome. Heart Failure Improvement Clinic. Heart Surgery. Interventional Cardiology. Pediatric Cardiology. A recent study published in the American College of Cardiology found that people who are diagnosed with coronary heart disease CHD experience a cognitive decline after their diagnosis compared to people who do not have CHD. Read more. New technology reduces stroke risk from TAVR procedure. Sleep your way to a healthier heart. Polypill offers promise for heart health.

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Pay Bill. Refill Rx. Sign in - My Marshfield Clinic. Explore Marshfield Clinic. Refill prescriptions. Contact Your Provider. Join a world-class health system. Find jobs. Page Image. Page Content. Uncontrolled rapid arrhythmias can result in heart weakness over time. There are two major types of arrhythmia: Tachycardia, where the heart beat is too fast - more than beats per minute Bradycardia, where the heartbeat is to slow — less than 60 beats per minute.

Arrhythmias that start in the atria are called atrial or supraventricular above the ventricles arrhythmias. Rapid heart rhythms originating in the atria include atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia. Arrhythmias that start in the ventricle include ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.