Arrhythmia

A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This rate can increase during physical exertion, for example. A cardiac arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats too slowly (bradycardia), too quickly (tachycardia), or irregularly.

Causes and symptoms of arrhythmia
Several heart conditions and diseases can cause arrhythmia, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, or a previous heart attack. However, it can also occur in patients with otherwise normal hearts. In these cases, the heart rhythm can be disrupted by stress, smoking, excessive consumption of stimulants (caffeine or alcohol), aging, and other factors. Arrhythmia manifests as palpitations, dizziness, or chest pain—symptoms that can be mistaken for those of other cardiovascular diseases.

How to treat arrhythmia?
There are many different types of arrhythmia. While some require only monitoring, others demand urgent attention because they can lead to a stroke or heart attack if left untreated. Treatment depends on the nature of the heart condition and can range from medication to implantable devices such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), usually in conjunction with lifestyle modifications.