What Is an Arrhythmia?

If you’re concerned you might have an arrhythmia, trust Dr. Alireza Nazeri, your Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist in Houston, TX at Mobitz Heart & Rhythm Center for the quality care and treatment you need.

What Is Arrhythmia?

In simple terms, an arrhythmia is an abnormal or irregular heartbeat. It is also referred to as dysrhythmia.

While pulses and heartbeats vary to some degree from person to person, each heartbeat tends to follow the same basic rhythm. However, sometimes, it can feel like the heart has skipped a beat, is beating faster or slower than normal, or is fluttering.

Changes such as these usually indicate arrhythmias, especially if there is no cause for the change. For example, your heart will likely beat faster when you are excited or exercising. However, if you’re sitting still and nothing else is going on, changes typically mean a heart rhythm disorder. They are not always dangerous, but you should visit Dr. Nazeri, your Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist in Houston, TX, to be safe if you experience symptoms of arrhythmia.

Types of Heart Rhythm Disorders

There are several types of arrhythmias, the most common of which include:

• Bradycardia- Heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute
• Bradyarrhythmias- Slow heart rate due to a disease in the cardiac conduction system, which controls the heartbeat
• Tachycardia- Heart rate above 100 beats per minute
• Ventricular arrhythmias- occur in the lower heart chambers
• Supraventricular arrhythmias- occur in the upper heart chambers

Symptoms of Arrhythmias

In addition to the changes in the heartbeat, you might experience the following symptoms with arrhythmias:

• Shortness of breath
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Feeling weak, tired, or fainting
• Uncomfortable pounding, pain, or tightness in the chest
• Blurred vision
• Sweating
• Anxiety or nervousness

Causes of Arrhythmia

Irregular heartbeats can be caused by a number of things in both healthy and unhealthy hearts. Some common causes include the following:

• Fevers and infections
• Heart injury, disease, or conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure
• Obesity
• Imbalance of potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes
• Alcohol or tobacco use
• Caffeine intake
• Experiencing strong emotions or being surprised
• Taking certain medications
• Recovery after surgery or illness
• High levels of stress

If you are in need of a Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist in Houston, TX, call (713) 909-3166 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nazeri at the Mobitz Heart & Rhythm Center.