An arrhythmia is a change in the regular beat of the heart. The heart may seems to skip a beat irregularly or beat too fast or too slow.

What causes arrhythmias?
Arrhythmias are caused by a disruption of the normal functioning of the electrical conduction system of the heart. Sometimes, there are no recognizable causes of an arrhythmia.

Arrhythmias may be caused by heart disease. Stress, alcohol, tobacco, diet pills, caffeine, and cough and cold medicines can also cause arrhythmias.

What are the signs and symptoms of an arrhythmia?

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Fatigue or weakness
• Chest pain
• Changes in rate, rhythm, or pattern of the pulse
• Unusual awareness of the heart beating in chest
• Fainting or blacking out

What is going on in the body?
There are two main groups of arrhythmias: bradycardias and tachycardias. With bradycardias, the heart rate is slower than 60 beats per minute. With tachycardias, the heart rate is faster than 100 beats per minute. During an arrhythmia, the rhythm of the heart can be regular. The beat can also be irregular and may begin in an abnormal area of the heart.

How is the condition diagnosed?
An electrocardiogram can be used to detect arrhythmias. An electrocardiogram shows the pattern of electrical activity within the heart muscle. A Holter monitor can also detect arrhythmias. This device records all heartbeats within a 24-hour period. Electrophysiology study is used to identify more complicated arrhythmias. This procedure requires a doctor to insert a catheter into the heart through a vein in the arm or groin. The electrical impulses of the heart can then be measured to determine exactly what type of arrhythmia is present.

What are the treatments?
Different treatments are available depending on the type of arrhythmia that the person has. A variety of drugs such as verapamil, propranolol, procainamide, and amiodarone are utilized to control the rate or restore the rhythm of the heart. Pacemakers are sometimes used to control the speed or abnormal rhythms. Cardiac defibrillators are implantable pacemakers that can sense a life-threatening arrhythmia and send an electrical shock to the heart to restore the normal rhythm. Arrhythmias are monitored even after treatment. This is done to keep a watch on the effectiveness and proper doses of the medications used and to ensure that the pacemaker (if utilized) is properly working.