Irregular heartbeats may be normal occasionally, especially if they occur after physical activity. However, persistently abnormal heartbeats require medical evaluation, especially if you have an underlying heart disease.
Is Arrhythmia Dangerous?
Have you ever noticed changes in the rate at which your heart beats? Is it too fast? Too slow? Or does it just beat abnormally rather than being steady? That’s arrhythmia.
When a cardiologist in Kolhapur decides whether you need arrhythmia treatment, they look for answers to these questions: What’s the underlying cause? What’s the type of arrhythmia? Does it affect your heart’s ability to pump blood?
Understanding Types of Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is classified based on where it’s located and whether it makes your heartbeat faster, slower, or simply irregular.
Tachycardia
Tachycardia is when you have an abnormally fast heartbeat. Medically, it’s when your heart rate is 100 bpm or above. That said, a fast heartbeat doesn’t always mean an underlying problem.
Your heart may simply beat faster after exercise, a high-intensity workout, an anxiety episode, or after regular physical activity. It’s considered problematic when it occurs due to abnormal electrical signals.
Bradycardia
Bradycardia is when your heart beats slower than normal while resting. It’s when your heart rate is 60 bpm or low. While a low heart rate occasionally may be nothing to worry about, it requires medical evaluation if it’s persistent.
Bradycardia can sometimes cause fatigue, dizziness, weakness, and faintness, especially when your heart beats too slowly to supply enough oxygen-rich blood to your body.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation is another type of arrhythmia, in which the electrical signals in the upper chambers of your heart become irregular. Normally, these chambers squeeze to push blood down to the lower chambers.
Atrial fibrillation is when these chambers do not squeeze properly. This can result in the blood collecting in the chambers, thus elevating your risk of a blood clot. If the clot travels up toward the brain, it can cause a stroke. Atrial Fibrillation can also cause your heart to race, weakening the heart muscles over time.
Ventricular Fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation occurs when electrical signals in the heart’s lower chambers are disrupted, causing an irregular heartbeat. This type of arrhythmia can be particularly dangerous. Without immediate treatment, there’s a risk that a person might go into cardiac arrest.
This happens because when the ventricles fail to squeeze, your vital organs, including the brain, might not receive oxygen-rich blood.
Which Type of Arrhythmia is Dangerous?
Occasional changes in heart rhythms could be normal and are often caused by inadequate sleep, caffeine, or stress.
Atrial fibrillation is considered risky, but is not immediately dangerous. It can increase your heart load by reducing its pumping efficiency and raising the risk of strokes.
What’s immediately dangerous is any type of arrhythmia that occurs in the lower chambers. This can cause your heart to quiver, which might become life-threatening within minutes.
When You Need to See a Doctor?
It’s best to visit WIINS Hospital for arrhythmia treatment in Kolhapur if you experience:
- Racing heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or faintness
- Chest pain
These symptoms might be signs of a heart attack or severe heart rhythm problems, requiring emergency medical evaluation. If you notice someone experiencing chest pain or becomes unresponsive, call an ambulance immediately or start CPR.
