Cardiac Arrhythmia illustrates the collection of medical or health conditions that influences the electrical tasks of the heart; this implies that the electrical activity is either slower or faster than appropriate or normal. The heart beat at certain instances can be rapid and too fast; for instance, more than 100 beats every minute. On the other hand, the activity of the heart may in some instances be too slow; for instance, at lower than 60 beats every minute. A rapid or fast heart beat is referred to as tachycardia. On the other hand, a slow or reduced hear beta rate is referred to as bradycardia. Cardiac arrhythmia cases are usually not life threatening; however, in certain instances the condition may result in cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrhythmia can either occur; in the atria (the upper component of the heart), or in the ventricles (the lower components of the heart) (Mandle, 2005).
The condition can affect any age group; and also in certain cases it can be dramatic and even cause sudden death due to cardiac arrest. Certain categories of cardiac arrhythmia are life threatening. This illustrates that they have the potential of causing medical emergencies, which can lead to cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrhythmias are usually the main causes of patients’ death when being transported to the nearest health institution. The other symptoms of the condition include; palpitations which illustrate irregular and uncomfortable heart beat awareness. The palpitations are also caused through wire dysfunction, atrial or ventricular fibrillation, and several other kinds of mechanical aspects in the pacemakers and defibrillators. Other cases of palpitations can subject the patient to life threatening embolism (Yamada, 2010).
The concept of sinus arrhythmia entails the normal and appropriate feature of mild increase or decrease of the heart rate; which occurs during normal breathing process. Sinus arrhythmia is most pronounced or recognizable in children, and continuously reduces with age. The condition is also clearly pronounced during meditation breathing techniques, which entail deep breathing patterns and also breathe holding capabilities. Proarrhythmia is a more frequent pre-existing arrhythmia. It is usually experienced after antiarrhythmic therapy; this means that it entails the side effects of related to the usage of certain antiarrhythmic medication. The antiarrhythmic medications mostly results in new cases of arrhythmias. The minor arrhythmias are referred to as the normal variants. Many individuals realize that the irregular heart beat in some situations; however, this is normal and does not raise any medical alarm (chugh, 2008).
Arrhythmia is classified into five categories. The categories are; atrial, heart blocks, junctional, sudden and ventricular. This classification approach focuses on the origin of the arrhythmia condition. The classification according to rate includes; tachycardia and bradycardia. The classification based on mechanism involve; automacity, fibrillation, and junctional. Atrial arrhythmia is caused mainly through; premature atrial contraction, atrial fibrillation and wandering atrial pacemaker. Junctional arrhythmias results from premature junctional contraction, junctional rhythm and superventricular tachycardia. The ventricular arrhythmias are also referred to as ventricular extra beats. Ventricular bigeminy takes place after each normal beat. Collection of three premature arrhythmias is referred to as the “run of the premature ventricular contractions.” The cause of the ventricular arrhythmia includes; increased idioventricular rhythm, ventricular fibrillation, and monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (Wiener, 2006).
The heart blocks are referred to as the AV blocks. This is because they mainly occur from the pathology of the atrioventricular node. The heart blocks are the major factors that result in bradycardia. The first degree heart block occurs as the PR prolongation. There are two categories of the second degree heart blocks. The first category is referred to as the wenckebach. The second category is called mobitz II. The third degree heart blot entails the total heart block. The sudden arrhythmia illustrates the sudden death syndrome that explains the unexpected death as a result of cardiac arrest. The cardiac arrest occurs due to the arrhythmia that takes place without the structural instances of the heart disease. The major unexpected death in the United States is the coronary artery disease. An estimated 250,000 individuals experience the sudden death syndrome on an annual basis in United States. Also, several inherited conditions related to the heart diseases negatively affects the health of young individuals, and may result in sudden death cases, that has no prior symptoms. Issues leading to the sudden deaths syndrome among the young population includes; brugada syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and long QT syndrome (Allessie, 2011).
There are several crucial symptoms and also signs of the cardiac arrhythmia. Cardiac arrhythmia is broad terms that comprise several conditions. The major symptom of the cardiac arrhythmia is the abnormal heartbeat awareness referred to as the palpitations. These palpitations are pronounced through continuous, infrequent and finally frequent awareness. The arrhythmias are mainly harmless to the patients; however, they can be distracting. The arrhythmias predispose the patients to several negative health outcomes. Certain arrhythmia conditions do not illustrate symptoms; hence, do not contribute to enhanced mortality. The other categories of arrhythmia lead to negative outcomes such as; increased heart blood clotting risks, and inadequate blood transportation to the heart due to poor or weak heartbeat. Other adverse result entails the increased risks to; heart failure, stroke, and even the sudden cardiac death. Arrhythmia that leads to fast, slow, or weak heartbeat rates that are inappropriate in the supply of the requirements of the body; mainly results to reduced blood pressure. The reduction in the blood pressure levels leads to syncope or fainting, dizziness and also lightheadedness. Cardiac arrest is a result of certain arrhythmia conditions. Health analysis of the abnormality condition through electrocardiogram is one effective approach to diagnosing the risks related to the specified arrhythmia type (Denruijter, 2007).
Differential diagnosis describes seven concepts. The concepts are; fibrillation, re-entry, bradycardias, tachycardias, triggered beats, automacity, and normal electrical activities. In the normal electrical heart activity, every heart beat starts as electrical impulse originating in the small tissue areas of right atrium. The small tissue area is referred to as the sinus node or alternatively the sino-atrial node. The impulse contracts the atria and then enhances the atrioventricular node. The atrioventricular node is the electrical contact between the main pumping cambers, the atria and the ventricles. The impulse flows throughout the ventricles through the Bundle of His, and also the Purkinje fibers. The impulse flow results to synchronized contraction pattern in the muscles of the heart and hence, pulse. In mature people, the normal heartbeat rate during rest is between 60 and 80 beats every minute. The resting rate for the children is normally relatively higher. Athletes, however, experience reduced resting rate of 40 beat every minutes; this is normal due to the enhanced physical functioning of the athletes (Ornish, 2008).
Bradycardias illustrate reduced heartbeat rates that are lower than the 60 beats per minute approximate average. The condition is normally referred to as bradycardia. This results from the slow signal generated by the sinus node, pause in the normal operations of the sinus node referred to as the sinus arrest, and the hindrance of the electrical impulses from the normal path connecting the atria and the ventricles. Heart blocks are illustrated through several degrees. The blockage may be reversible poisoning, with drugs that hinder conduction, of the atrioventricular node. Heart block is also caused by the irreversible damage on the sinus node. Bradycardias may also be found in the appropriate operational heart of the athletes and several other appropriately conditioned individuals (Morris, 2008).
Tachycardia occurs mainly in mature children and adults. Resting heart beat which is greater than 100 beats every minute is illustrated as tachycardia. Tachycardia may lead to palpitation; but, tachycardia is not always considered as arrhythmia. Increased heat beat is generally normal in people, due to the enhanced physical activities or even emotional stress. Tachycardia is controlled through sympathetic nervous process, present in the sinus node. This is the reason why tachycardia is commonly referred to as sinus tachycardia. Other factors that enhance the sympathetic nervous system operations within the heart entail; ingested substances like caffeine and amphetamines. Hyperthyroidism also results to tachycardia due to the hyperactive thyroid gland. Tachycardia which is not considered as sinus tachycardia emanate from the introduction of abnormal impulses in the cardiac cycle which is considered normal. Abnormal impulses are generated through three approaches; triggered, automated and finally reentry operations. Fibrillation is considered as a special kind of reentry challenge. Current research studies still analyze the approaches of classifying or categorizing arrhythmias (Karakas, 2009).
Heart defects entail the electrical pathway and the structural challenges experienced within the heart that are noticed as from birth. Any person can experience the heart defects because the general health is not a factor in the problem. The challenges that the heart experiences due to the electrical pathway problems can result to deadly and fast arrhythmias. Wolff-Parkinson-White health syndrome is because of the extra pathway that comprises the electrical muscle tissue within the heart. The tissue enables the electrical impulses that increase the rate of heartbeat. The right ventricular outflow represents the major category of the ventricular tachycardia in even healthy people. The defects are experienced because of the electrical node located within the right ventricle near pulmonary artery. Stimulation of the node results in the patient experiencing the ventricular tachycardia that does not enable the heart to have adequate blood for effective beating. Long QT syndrome illustrates another heart problem that is considered an independent factor that influences mortality. There are several approaches of treating heart defects. The treatment approaches involve; cardiac ablations, changing lifestyle to incorporate exercise and minimal stress, and medical treatment. People can still effectively live their lives fully and happily; despite the conditions (Moskalenko, 2012).
Automacity entails the cardiac muscle generating its own impulse through the cell. The heart cells have the capability of producing the action potential. But, only certain cells are designed to continuously produce the trigger beats. The cells are located in the heart through the conduction system, and comprise the SA node, Purkinje fibers, Bundle of His, and also AV node. The sinoatrial node illustrates the specialized atrium location that possesses relatively higher levels of automacity. The high rate of pacemaker generates the heart rate. A component of the heart that produces impulse without the direct contribution of the sinoatrial node is referred to as the ectopic focus hence, a pathological feature. This results to single premature beats periodically. Rhythms generated by the ectopic focus of atria, and also the atrioventricular node of the heart, are arrhythmia considered least dangerous. Conditions that enhance automaticity entail hypoxia and the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system (Mandel, 2005).
The reentry arrhythmias take place when the electrical impulse continuously travels through the tight circle of the heart; instead of travelling from one end to the other and finally stopping. Each cardiac cell transmits the excitation impulses in several directions once in short duration. The action potential impulse moves through the entire heart rapidly, hence each cell responds once. The refractory duration has certain heterogeneity. This is because the myocardial cells are incapable of activating the rapid sodium channel. Certain impulses reach late; hence they are viewed as new impulse. According to timing, the effect can include continuous circuit rhythm. Due to the reentry concept, the excitation vortices located within myocardium are considered the major cardiac arrhythmias that are life threatening. Autowave reverberator is part of the inner atria walls that has the atrial flutter. Reentry ensures majority of the supraventricular tachycardia and the ventricular tachycardia. Omega-3 fatty acids generated by the fish oil is capable of ensuring protection from the arrhythmias. However, in the instance of re-errant category of arrhythmias, fish oil can have negative health consequences (Yamada, 2005).
Fibrillation occurs when the complete heart chamber is engaged in the several micro-reentry processes; hence, producing the electrical impulses which are rapid and chaotic. There are two categories of fibrillation; atrial fibrillation, and also ventricular fibrillation. The most life threatening type is the ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is illustrated in the upper atria heart chambers. It illustrates major health conditions, and must be analyzed by a competent physician it does not mainly result to medical emergencies. Ventricular fibrillation takes place in the lower ventricle chambers. It is mainly a medical emergency situation, and may lead to sudden death. When the heart experiences ventricular fibrillation; adequate blood pumping is altered thereby resulting in cardiac arrest. People affected by the ventricular fibrillation cannot survive; this is unless defibrillation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is urgently conducted. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation increases the duration of brain survival. On the other hand, defibrillation has the ability of restoring the heart rhythm to appropriate levels. Defibrillation is conducted through conducting electrical shocks that resets heart cells. This ensures reestablishing normal operations of the heart (Chugh, 2008).
Triggered beats takes place when heart problems result in abnormal electrical activities. The abnormal electrical activities enhance the abnormal rhythm of the heart. The ion channels in each cell of the heart ensure the abnormal production of the electrical activities. The triggered beats are usually rare; and may occur because of the negative effects of the anti-arrhythmic medications (Wiener, 2006).
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