Heart Arrhythmia - Treatment Is Possible
What Causes An Irregular Heart Beat?

Heart arrhythmia occurs when our normal heart beat is off kilter. We each have our own normal heart beat rhythm, and if it's too slow (bradycardia), too fast (tachycardia), or if it's irregular, then it's known as arrhythmia.

Our hearts typically beat about 60 to 80 times per minute. If that is normal for you, then you may be given a diagnosis of heart arrhythmia if your doctor discovers something outside of this range. For example, under 60 beats is slow, and over 100 beats would be considered too fast.

If the spacing between beats is erratic, or not steady, then (obviously) you have an irregular heart beat. Rapid, unsynchronized contractions of the heart is called fibrillation. This is caused by a disruption of the heart's natural pacemaker, known as the sinus node.

There are various types of heart arrhythmias, and most of them fall under one of the two categories of bradycardia or tachycardia. You may have heard of:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Paroxysmal tachycardia
• Atrial flutter
• Ventricular fibrillation
• Ventricular tachycardia

Heart Arrhythmia - What Are The Causes Of Arrhythmia?

In anorexia, the causes of arrhythmia are related directly to starvation. As the body becomes more and more malnourished, the heart muscle weakens and deteriorates. With that comes the risk of low heart rate, and even sudden death.

Heart failure is a common cause of death among those who are permanent victims of anorexia. This was the case for popular 1970's singer, Karen Carpenter. Her heart was beating extremely slow, until eventually it just gave out. Read more about Karen Carpenter's anorexia.

Other than eating disorders, there can be many different reasons for heart arrhythmia, including medications, thyroid disease, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, or coronary artery disease. Oddly enough, there are times when there is no apparent cause.

Symptoms Of Heart Arrhythmia - Treatment

Symptoms of arrhythmia may come and go, or they may be there constantly. The scariest part is that there's a chance you might not even feel them at all. Some people only report discomfort during periods of exercise or physical exertion.

Some common signs are:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain - palpitations
• Sweating
• Dizziness - light-headedness
• Fainting

Everybody is different, so symptoms can vary greatly, depending on how healthy your heart is, severity of the arrhythmia, how often it occurs and how long it lasts. Some arrhythmias do not have any warning signs.

There are a variety of ways for you to have heart arrhythmia treatment, depending on the extent of the disorder. These easiest form of treatment is to make lifestyle changes, or to take prescription medications. However, doctors assess each person individually, and in more severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

If you have concerns about arrhythmia or any other heart condition, consult your doctor immediately.

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