1. Atrial Fibrillation
The most common type of arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, affects about 2.7 million people in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) begin to beat rapidly and irregularly. The condition itself isn’t life-threatening, but it increases the risk for stroke by allowing blood to pool and clot in the atria — increasing risk fivefold, says Hugh Calkins, MD, an electrophysiologist and director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Atrial fibrillation risk is lower before age 50 but then steadily increases with age. Blood thinners and medication to steady the heart rate and rhythm are mainstays of treatment. In some cases, a special procedure called an ablation, which purposely scars the defective part of the heart to prevent it from passing on unwanted signals, may be recommended.
3. Ventricular Fibrillation
Ventricular fibrillation is the most deadly type of arrhythmia. It occurs when the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles) begin to quiver instead of pumping normally. Because these chambers handle most of the heavy lifting for the circulatory system, ventricular fibrillation causes blood flow to very nearly cease. “If it’s not shocked in a timely fashion — and we’re talking minutes — then the patient will die,” says Gordon Tomaselli, MD, professor of medicine and chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Ventricular fibrillation usually happens in people with some sort of underlying heart condition. Those at risk can be treated with medication or an implanted defibrillator that will shock the heart if it stops beating.
5. Bradycardia
Bradycardia is a type of arrhythmia that, for many people, is no big deal. It means your heart rate is slower than normal — fewer than 60 beats a minute for adults. Young people and others who are very physically fit may experience bradycardia because they’re in good shape, and for them it isn’t dangerous and doesn’t cause symptoms. But people can also have bradycardia if they’ve had a heart attack or if an underactive thyroid gland or aging has slowed the heart. In these situations, taking medication or having a pacemaker implanted may be needed. Bradycardia can also occur because of a nutritional imbalance. If this is the cause, your doctor may recommend a dietary supplement. In addition, the condition can be a side effect of medication, and in those cases a doctor may adjust your prescription.
6. Long QT Syndrome
A number of other disorders occur because of problems with the heart’s electrical system. Long QT syndrome, a hereditary disorder that usually affects children or young adults, slows the signal that causes the ventricles to contract. Another electrical signal problem, atrial flutter, happens when a single electrical wave circulates rapidly in the atrium, causing a very fast but steady heartbeat. Heart block involves weak or improperly conducted electrical signals from the upper chambers that can’t make it to the lower chambers, causing the heart to beat too slowly. These conditions can put you at risk for cardiac arrest. Treatment might involve medication, ablation, or an implanted device to correct the misfiring, such as a pacemaker or defibrillator. RELATED VIDEO: Dana Vollmer’s Best Advice To Someone Who Has an Arrhythmia
