How to Treat Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia is a condition that can occur for many reasons: heart disease, heart failure, abnormal heart function, smoking, alcohol use, stress, or exercise. An arrhythmia can also occur spontaneously, with no reason at all. There are a few names for different conditions related to irregular heart rates: bradycardia (a slow heart rate), tachycardia (a quick heart rate), and arrhythmia (a generally irregular heart rate). ^[1] It occurs when the electrical impulses that coordinate the body's heartbeats do not work properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Arrhythmia doesn't always require treatment. If your arrhythmia causes risks to your health, treatment through lifestyle changes, medical options, and better understanding of the condition may help. Choose a Treatment for Arrhythmia that will help you live a healthier, longer life.

EditSteps

EditReducing Your Risk of Heart Disease

1. Eat a healthy diet. A heart-healthy diet includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean protein (such as chicken, fish and beans). Avoid fatty foods, including saturated fats, trans-fats, and cholesterol.^[2]
   
   • Include plenty of potassium in your diet. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, apricots, oranges, sweet potatoes, beets, squash and avocado.
   • Green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach and parsley are part of a heart-healthy diet, because they are rich in Vitamin K.
   • Limit your salt intake, as this can increase your blood pressure.
2. Exercise regularly. Most people with arrhythmia can safely include exercise as a regular part of their healthy lifestyle. Check with your medical provider to establish the kind of exercise that's safe for you. Most exercise carries far more benefits than possible risks.^[3]
   
   • If exercise is new to you, develop an exercise plan that starts with gentle activity and gradually builds into more challenging exercise.
   • Avoid extreme endurance athletic sports. This is the only type of exercise in which arrhythmia may have negative consequences.^[4]
3. Quit smoking. The stimulants found in nicotine can trigger arrhythmia. The toxins in cigarettes will cause oxidative stress in the blood vessels, which leads to more damage. Other elements found in cigarette smoke, such as carbon monoxide, may also increase cardiac arrhythmia.^[5]
   
   • For help quitting smoking, consult with your medical provider or public health clinic.
   • Other tobacco products, such as snuff, chew or dip, also raise risks of arrhythmia.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight is a risk factor in arrhythmia because it makes the heart work harder. Being overweight also increases the chances of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, factors in arrhythmia.^[6]
   
   • A healthy weight for most people can be determined by BMI, or Body Mass Indicator. This is a figure determined by a person's weight in relation to his height.
   • Gradual weight loss is healthier for the heart than sudden weight loss. If you are attempting to lose weight, try to maintain no more than a 3-5% weight loss at a given time.
5. Keep blood pressure under control. All lifestyle suggestions for arrhythmia will also help with high blood pressure, including quitting smoking, including exercise, and eating a heart-healthy diet. In addition, you can lower your blood pressure by avoiding stress. Chronic stress is a contributing factor in high blood pressure.^[7]
   
   • Consider the circumstances that result in your stress. Work, family, finances or illness can all contribute to stress levels.
   • Make changes in your lifestyle if you can to minimize or eliminate these areas of stress. Relaxation strategies such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness practices and gratitude practices are all part of a heart-healthy way of life.
   • Learn to take your blood pressure at home, or make regular trips to your public health clinic to have it taken.
   • Support groups for high blood pressure may be helpful. Talk to your medical care provider about the existence of these groups in your area.
6. Limit your consumption of alcohol. Drinking a lot over a long time, or even a single occasion of binge drinking, can result in arrhythmia. Alcohol disrupts the nervous system that guides the heart in regular beating, and can temporarily cause the heart to beat too rapidly or irregularly. Two types of alcohol induced arrhythmias are atrial fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia.^[8]
   
   • Some studies suggest that moderate amounts of alcohol may protect against some cardiovascular conditions. This amount is one standard drink for women, and two for men, where a standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.^[9]
   • Chronic drinking actually changes the course of the nervous system that drives the heart's pumping, resulting in cardiac arrhythmia.
7. Cut down on stimulants and caffeine. Stimulants, including caffeine, affect the heart rate. It used to be thought that people with heart conditions should avoid caffeine entirely, but this is no longer the case. Moderate caffeine intake (300-400 mg. per day, or 1-2 cups of coffee) is now thought to be okay.^[10]
   
   • Drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine can result in arrhythmia or sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation.
   • Be aware of caffeine found in chocolate, tea, "natural energy" drinks, and sodas.
   • Stimulants are often hidden in cough and cold medications and herbal or nutritional supplements. Read the label before taking, and ask your doctor or pharmacist what medication would be best for you.
8. Treat sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, or sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a condition in which one's sleeping breath is interrupted. In central sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted by an involuntary pause in breathing. In obstructive sleep apnea, the passage of air is blocked due to collapse of soft tissues around the upper airway. Sleep apnea is strongly associated with cardiac conditions such as arrhythmia.^[11]
   
   • Obstructive sleep apnea is more common. It's associated with obesity, another factor in arrhythmia.
   • If you believe you're at risk for sleep apnea, consider taking a sleep study. The study will chart your breath rate throughout the night, and prescribe appropriate treatment.
   • Sleep apnea is a common problem, with one in five adults experiencing at least a mild form of the condition.

EditGetting Medical Treatment Options

1. Know the warning signs for arrhythmia. Heart disease is the most common cause of arrhythmia, but other things can cause it, too. If you have any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention immediately:
   
   • Fluttering in your chest
   • Racing heartbeat
   • Slow heartbeat
   • Chest pain
   • Shortness of breath
   • Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
   • Sweating^[12]
2. Know what to expect in your initial assessment. Your doctor might use a variety of methods to examine your heart. Here are some potential ways that you could be tested for arrhythmia:
   
   • Electrocardiogram, where your doctor will attach electrodes to your chest and limbs to measure the electrical activity of your heart
   • Holter monitor, which you wear to measure heart activity during the day
   • An Event Recorder, which is worn continuously for up to 30 days. The person wearing it can indicate when they have symptoms. When the analysis is over, doctors will evaluate if the symptoms coincide with any irregular heart rate or pattern.
   • Echocardiogram, where sound waves are used to look at your heart and its movement
   • A loop recorder that's implanted under your skin and will find irregular heart rhythms
   • Stress test, where your heart is monitored while you exercise
   • Tilt table test, where your heart is monitored while you're tilted from a lying to a standing position
   • Electro-physiological testing and mapping, where electrodes spread throughout your heart measure electricity^[13]
3. Take antiarrhythmic drugs. Antiarrhythmic medications can be given intravenously in an emergency situation, or taken orally over a longer period of time as a preventative measure. These medications may help to suppress the abnormal firing of pacemaker tissue, or they minimize the transmission of electrical impulses. Your medical professional can help you decide which antiarrhythmic medications are right for you.^[14]
   
   • The side effects of antiarrhythmic medications can be hard to manage. Ironically, one of the possible side effects of this medication is the increase of arrhythmia, the very condition the medication was intended to address.
   • Be fully informed of the risks and benefits of recommended medications. Take them only as directed.
   • Examples of antiarrhythmic medication include: Tambocor (flecainide), Procanbid (procainamide), Cordarone (amiodarone), Betapace (sotalol).
4. Try blood-thinning medication. Blood thinners are often prescribed for people with arrhythmia in order to slow blood clotting and decrease the risk of strokes. Because certain types of arrhythmia are associated with the development of clots (which can lead to strokes), many doctors prescribe blood thinners if the patient also has other risk factors.^[15]
   
   • If you have atrial fibrillation, one type of arrhythmia, you're more likely to form blood clots in the left atrium of the heart. Taking blood thinners reduces the risk of this occurring.
   • Blood thinners will almost always be prescribed prior to administering cardioversion treatment, in order to minimize the risk of blood clots.
   • Examples of blood thinners include Warfarin (Coumadin), dabigatran, heparin, and aspirin.^[16]
5. Consider cardioversion. Cardioversion is a procedure, done either through electric shock or medicine, that reverts the heartbeat back to its regular rate. It may be performed as an emergency measure, or it may be scheduled as an elective procedure. For most people, cardioversion is an effective intervention.^[17]
   
   • Cardioversion is different from defibrillation in that it uses more powerful electric shocks to jolt the heart into a more standard rhythmic pulse.
   • If cardioversion is not successful, you'll probably be advised to consider getting a pacemaker.
6. Talk to your doctor about catheter ablation. Catheter ablation is a medical procedure in which a small catheter is inserted into an accessible blood vessel and guided into your heart. Energy, either electrical or radio frequency energy, is then sent through the catheter's wires to destroy the tissue that's causing arrhythmia.^[18]
   
   • The success rate for catheter ablation is roughly 90%.
   • This procedure is generally performed when medication options have not been helpful. A cardiology specialist, called an electro-physiologist, will map out the electrical current and communication pattern of your heart and then determine if this is an option.
   • Catheter ablation is most often used to treat arrhythmia that involves rapid heartbeat.
7. Implant a pacemaker. A pacemaker can only be used for certain types of arrhythmia. When the heart rate is too slow, a pacemaker can either help it stay regular or control it completely at a safe rate. Arrhythmia is a condition that results in the body's natural pacemaker no longer functioning properly, so an implanted pacemaker mimics the body's own electrical impulses in controlling the rate of heart beats.^[19]
   
   • Pacemakers can be temporary, used in an emergency situation, or a permanent treatment for chronic arrhythmia.
   • A pacemaker is implanted just below the collar bone. It runs off battery power, each battery lasting between 5-10 years.
   • MRI tests and strong security systems such as are often found in airports or courthouses can affect a pacemaker. Make sure you let professionals know if you have a pacemaker in these situations.
8. Try an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). An ICD is a battery-powered device inserted under the skin that keeps track of your heart rate. The ICD is then connected through thin wires to the heart. It then monitors heart rate as well as sending an electric shock to the heart to prompt regular heart rate.^[20]
   
   • Newer model ICD also perform the function of pacemakers.
   • ICDs are largely recommended as preventative measures for those at high risk of serious complications or death resulting from cardiac arrhythmia.
9. Consider surgical procedures. The Maze procedure is a treatment developed for atrial fibrillation, a form of arrhythmia. In this procedure, the surgeon creates scar tissue within the heart in order to disrupt the path of abnormal electrical impulses. When these impulses are interrupted, the heart beat is restored to its usual rate.^[21]
   
   • Coronary bypass surgery may be recommended if coronary heart disease is the source of your arrhythmia.
   • Surgery for arrhythmia may be recommended if surgery for another health condition is occurring.

EditUnderstanding the Condition

1. Check Your Pulse. If you suspect you might have arrhythmia, or if you've been diagnosed and simply want to be aware of the way it affects you, learn to monitor your pulse. There are a wide variety of heart monitors and apps available for purchase, but it's easy to do on your own as well.^[22]
   
   • Place your second and third fingers of your right hand on your left wrist. Feel for the heart pulse.
   • Alternatively, with the same fingers, press the soft tissue of the side of your neck beneath the jaw. You should be able to feel your heart beat through the blood vessels found there. Move your fingers around, pressing gently but firmly, until you find the pulse.
   • There's no need to count your heart beats. You're checking for heart rhythm, not heart rate.
   • Stethoscopes are inexpensive tools that help keep track of your heart rhythm. You can find these for sale at drug stores or many other retail outlets.
2. Manage your risk factors. Lifestyle factors such as high stress or frequent, angry outbursts contribute significantly to the development of arrhythmia. Low potassium levels and low calcium intake are also associated with arrhythmia. To treat your arrhythmia, consider what preventative measures you can take to care for yourself.^[23]
   
   • Regular physical activity can significantly lower stress levels and help with mood regulation.
   • Find healthy outlets for your intense feelings, and practice self-care routines.
   • Aging increases the risk of developing arrhythmia.
3. Take it one day at a time. Because arrhythmia is invisible, it may be difficult to feel that others understand what you're going through. There are support groups for arrhythmia and other chronic health conditions that may be helpful to you in living with arrhythmia. Follow your doctor's recommendations, and know that treatment is a long term course.^[24]
   
   • Try to manage your stress and anxiety, both of which can lead to your body's natural "fight or flight" response and an increased heart rate. Use deep, relaxing breathing to slow the heart rate, manage stress, and quell anxiety.^[25]
   • More information about arrhythmia is still being researched. Continue to learn about the condition as more research studies are done.
   • Keep in touch with your doctor, and ask questions about symptoms that may arise.
   • If you have questions regarding your treatment, ask your medical provider right away.

EditTips

• Some herbs have been reportedly used to treat arrhythmias of sinus rhythm (slow or fast heart beats but regular and synchronous). Examples are American Valerian, garden heliotrope or valerian, skullcap, hawthorn and corydalis.
• Consider acupuncture. This ancient Chinese method of treatment holds some promising results in treatment of atrial fibrillation, but to date studies are not enough to strongly recommend such treatment.

EditWarnings

• Ventricular fibrillation, when the heart beats in rapid, erratic electrical impulses, can result in death. When this happens, the heart's ventricles will not be pumping blood through the body. If you experience this type of arrhythmia, call for help immediately. In the United States, call 9-1-1.^[26]
• Avoid grapefruit juice if you're on a medicine that interacts with it. Grapefruit contains naringenin, a chemical which may interfere with the body's ability to absorb antiarrhythmic drugs like amiodarone (Cordarone) and dofetilide (Tikosyn).^[27] Ask your doctor if you should avoid grapefruit.

EditSources and Citations

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