Arrhythmias are disorders of the electrical system of the heart. They may
cause the heart to beat too rapidly, too slowly, or irregularly. Some
arrhythmias are common and cause a wide variety of symptoms such as heart
racing, skipping or fluttering in the chest.
Changes from the normal sequence of the heart’s electrical impulses
may also cause symptoms such as lightheadedness, shortness of breath or
trouble breathing, chest pain or heaviness, passing out, and fatigue.
Arrhythmias are sometimes harmless and can occur in the healthiest heart—at
the same time, they can indicate an issue that could lead to heart failure,
stroke, or heart attack.
Arrhythmia Treatment
The cardiac electrophysiology team in Valley Health’s Clyde A. Smith
Heart & Vascular Center at Winchester Medical Center specializes in
diagnosing and managing heart problems caused by arrhythmias. Electrophysiology
is the use of the electrical properties of the heart to regulate or correct
heartbeat and restore a normal rhythm.
Arrhythmia treatments include:
Controlled electric shock (cardioversion)
Medications
Ablation
Pacemakers
Implantable defibrillators
Ablation: Minimally Invasive Treatment
Irregular heartbeats are caused when the electrical signals of the heart
are out of sync or not working correctly. Ablation techniques disable
heart cells that are the source of the electrical abnormality, restoring
a regular heartbeat. While ablation once required open chest surgery,
doctors can now offer the procedure through minimally invasive means using
wires and catheters inserted through vessels in the leg.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) – an irregular, often rapid heartbeat
– is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting an estimated
3 to 6 million Americans. Sometimes patients with AFib have no symptoms,
while others may experience the following:
General fatigue
Rapid, irregular heartbeat
Heart fluttering
Chest pounding
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Weakness
Shortness of breath
Chest heaviness
Patients with AFib have an increased risk of stroke, heart failure and
other complications. They often require treatment with medications or
procedures to normalize the heart rhythm and to reduce stroke risk.
Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) – an irregular heartbeat that feels like
a quivering heart – is a common heart rhythm disorder that affects
an estimated six million Americans. Patients with AFib have a five-fold
increased risk of stroke due to blood clots that can form in an area of
heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA) and travel to the brain.
Anticoagulation (blood thinning) medications are frequently used to help
reduce stroke risk. For patients with AFib who are at high risk for stroke
and cannot take blood thinners, specialists at Valley Health offer an
alternative to long-term blood thinning medications: implantable devices
that block or close off the LAA to keep clots from entering the blood
stream and potentially causing a stroke. The device is placed in the heart
using a minimally invasive procedure.
Ventricular Arrhythmias
Ventricular tachycardia originates in the lower chambers of the heart and
causes the heart to race, preventing it from pumping blood effectively
to the rest of the body. Symptoms may include lightheadedness and fainting.
Treatment options include medications to control heart rate or ablation
to restore a regular heartbeat. For patients with sustained ventricular
tachycardia, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, our specialists may
place an implantable cardiac defibrillator.
Bradycardia
A slower than normal heart rate, bradycardia usually does not require treatment.
If it is more severe and causes symptoms such as fatigue, lightheadedness
or shortness of breath, an implanted pacemaker can return the heart rate
to normal. Valley Health’s arrhythmia specialists can also implant
a newer and smaller type of leadless pacemaker directly in the heart using
a minimally invasive procedure.
Consult Your Doctor About Arrhythmia Treatment at Valley Health
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