Arrhythmia Symptoms

What happens if a drummer does not strike the right beats in an orchestra? Well, it affects the synchronization of the rock band as a whole, breaks the tempo and rubs the audience the wrong way. In the same way, for our body and its various parts to work in harmony, our heart needs to beat correctly all the time. Any fluctuation in the heartbeat can lead to many health complications. One such health complication caused due to abnormal beating of the heart is ‘arrhythmia’. The most common of all the symptoms of this serious condition is that the heart occasionally skips a beat or will take an extra beat. The sequence of our heartbeat is controlled by bundles of cells that control the electrical activity of the heart. Arrhythmia is caused due to a disturbance or interference in this electrical activity of the heart. Let us comprehend this condition better and the ways to diagnose this condition by going through the symptoms of arrhythmia in the section below.

• The symptoms of arrhythmia are usually caused due to damage caused to the heart’s electrical conduction system. Heart attacks or coronary artery diseases are some of the causes of damage in the electrical rhythm of the heart. Some specific kinds of medicines can also cause arrhythmia.
• People generally suffer from two kinds of arrhythmia, namely ‘tachycardia’ and ‘bradycardia’. If a person has a heartbeat rate that is above normal, then he/she is suffering from tachycardia. On the other hand, if a person experiences a heartbeat rate that is below normal, then s/he is believed to be suffering from bradycardia.
• One of the earliest symptoms of arrhythmia which a person might experience is dizziness and fainting due to weakness. Due to the alteration in the heartbeat rate, enough blood does not reach the lungs and this can further cause shortness of breath and some difficulty in breathing.
• Another symptom of arrhythmia is palpitation, a condition in which a person experiences fluttery and irregular heartbeats. A person experiencing this symptom can also experience few missed heartbeats.
• During arrhythmia the heart pumps out insufficient blood which results in low blood pressure. Due to low blood pressure in the body a person can feel giddy and might swoon as well.
• Another symptom of arrhythmia is the sensation of continuous hammering in the chest or the constant feeling of discomfort. This will make the victim feel frail and weary.
• A severe case of arrhythmia will lead to immense pain in the chest of the patient and in extreme cases the patient might have a cardiac arrest.

• Losing consciousness
• Feeling a strong pulse in the neck
• Feeling of uneasiness
• General weakness and fatigue

• The sinoatrial node is that part of the heart that has its own natural pacemaker. However, during arrhythmia some impulses are triggered in this region of the heart making it beat very fast.
• Irregular heartbeats, low blood pressure and the body being attacked by several diseases are clear indications of arrhythmia.