Types of Arrhythmias

There are two main types of arrhythmias, tachycardia and bradycardia. Tachycardia is when the heart beats too fast (over 100 beats per minute) and bradycardia is when the heart beats too slow (less than 60 beats per minute). Heart or cardiac arrhythmias can be life threatening if the pumping function of the heart is severely decreased for longer than a few seconds. 

Arrhythmias in the Atria

Atrial fibrillation: During atrial fibrillation, the chambers of the heart receive sporadic electrical currents that cause the upper chambers of the heart to quiver and contract. This type of heart arrhythmia is most common in the elderly and patients with heart valve disease. 

Atrial flutter: During atrial flutter, electrical stimulation runs quickly through the upper chambers of the heart, resulting in a rapid pulse. This type of cardiac arrhythmia is caused by a loop of electricity in the heart.

Supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT): During supraventicular tachycardia, repeated moments of rapid heartbeats begin and then end unpredictably. This type of heart arrhythmia is commonly due to extra connections that occur during birth between the upper and lower chambers of the heart.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: During Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, sudden episodes of rapid heartbeats occur. This type of cardiac arrhythmia is usually caused by an abnormal electrical connection in the chambers of the heart. In patients with this unusual syndrome, there is an extra connection between the top and bottom chambers of the heart. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is most common in infants and children, appearing in 5 out of 100,000 people.

Premature supraventricular contraction: During premature supraventricular contraction, or premature atrial contraction (PAC), premature heartbeats occur causing an irregular heart rhythm. They usually begin in the upper chambers of the heart and are actually quite common. Since this type of heart arrhythmia is benign, there is usually no treatment needed.

Sick sinus syndrome: During sick sinus syndrome, the hearts’ sinus node does not properly give off signals, causing the heart to slow down. In patients’ with sick sinus syndrome, the heart typically goes back and forth between fast (tachycardia) and slow (bradycardia) rates. This type of cardiac arrhythmia is most common in the elderly due to degenerative changes in the heart pathways.

Sinus arrhythmia: During a sinus arrhythmia, cyclic changes occur in the heart when a person is breathing. This type of heart arrhythmia is common in both children and healthy adults. Sometimes a pace maker is needed to treat this condition.

Sinus tachycardia: During sinus tachycardia, the sinus node in the heart sends out electrical signals much faster than normal. This results in the heart speeding up causing a rapid pulse. This can occur in normal environments such as a stressful situation or as a result of exercise.

Multifocal atrial tachycardia: During multifocal atrial tachycardia (MAT), various locations within the atria begin to initiate an impulse electrically. These impulses run through ventricles, resulting in a rapid heart beat. For patients with multifocal atrial tachycardia, expect their heart rate to be anywhere from 100 to 250 beats a minute. MAT is most common in patients with lung disease and the elderly.

Arrhythmias in the Ventricles

Premature ventricular contraction: During premature ventricular contraction (PVC), electrical signals from the ventricles cause a premature heartbeat. The heart pauses and then begins to beat again like normal. This type of heart arrhythmia usually goes unnoticed and is found commonly in healthy adults. 

Ventricular fibrillation: During ventricular fibrillation, electrical signals located in the ventricles begin to fire in an uncontrollable and rapid manner. This causes the lower chambers of the heart to quiver and stop pumping blood. If the regular heart rhythm does not go back to normal quickly, the patient may suffer from heart or brain damage. Treatments for those who survive may result in an implanted defibrillator.

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