Heart rhythm disturbances: forms and features of pathology. Heart rhythm disturbances: symptoms and treatment

Cardiac arrhythmias are disturbances in the frequency, rhythm and sequence of contractions of the heart. They can occur due to structural changes in the conduction system due to heart disease and (or) under the influence of autonomic, endocrine, electrolyte and other metabolic disorders, during intoxication and certain medicinal effects.

Often, even with pronounced structural changes in the myocardium, arrhythmia is caused partly or mainly by metabolic disorders.

Cardiac arrhythmia, what is it, and how to treat it? Normally, the heart contracts at regular intervals at a rate of 60–90 beats per minute. In accordance with the needs of the body, it can either slow down its work or speed up the number of contractions within a minute. According to WHO definition, arrhythmia is any rhythm of cardiac activity that differs from normal sinus rhythm.

Causes

Why does cardiac arrhythmia occur, and what is it? The causes of arrhythmia can be functional disorders of nervous regulation or anatomical changes. Often, heart rhythm disturbances are a symptom of a disease.

Among the pathologies of the cardiovascular system, arrhythmias are accompanied by the following conditions:

• coronary heart disease due to changes in the structure of the myocardium and expansion of cavities;
• myocarditis due to disturbances in the electrical stability of the heart;
• heart defects due to increased load on muscle cells;
• injuries and surgical interventions on the heart lead to direct damage to the conduction pathways.

Among the main provoking factors The development of arrhythmia can be distinguished as follows:

• addiction to energy drinks and caffeine containing;
• excessive alcohol consumption and smoking;
• stress and depression;
• excessive physical activity;
• metabolic disorders;
• cardiac pathologies such as defects, coronary disease, myocarditis, and other conditions;
• disorders and diseases of the thyroid gland;
• infectious processes and fungal infections;
• brain diseases.

Idiopathic arrhythmia is a condition when, after a comprehensive examination of the patient, the causes remain unknown.

Classification

Depending on the heart rate, the following types of arrhythmia are distinguished:

1. Sinus tachycardia. The sinus node is the leader in the formation of electrical impulses in the myocardium. With sinus tachycardia, the heart rate exceeds 90 beats per minute. It is felt by a person as a heartbeat.
2. Sinus arrhythmia. This is an incorrect alternation of heart contractions. This type of arrhythmia usually occurs in children and adolescents. It can be functional and related to breathing. When you inhale, the heart contractions become faster, and when you exhale, they become less frequent.
3. Sinus bradycardia. It is characterized by a decrease in heart rate to 55 beats per minute or less. It can be observed in healthy, physically trained individuals at rest and during sleep.
4. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In this case, we are talking about a very rapid heartbeat with the correct rhythm. The frequency of contractions during an attack reaches 240 beats per minute, causing lightheadedness, increased sweating, pallor and weakness. The reason for this condition lies in the appearance of additional impulses in the atria, as a result of which the rest periods of the heart muscle are greatly reduced.
5. Paroxysmal tachycardia. This is a regular, but frequent rhythm of the heart. The heart rate ranges from 140 to 240 beats per minute. It starts and disappears suddenly.
6. Extrasystole. This is a premature (extraordinary) contraction of the heart muscle. Sensations with this type of arrhythmias can be like an increased push in the heart area or like freezing.

Depending on the severity and severity of symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia, a treatment regimen is determined.

Symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia

In the case of cardiac arrhythmia, symptoms can be very different and are determined by the frequency and rhythm of heart contractions, their effect on intracardiac, cerebral, renal hemodynamics, as well as the function of the left ventricular myocardium.

The main signs of arrhythmia are palpitations or a feeling of interruptions, freezing when the heart beats. The course of arrhythmias may be accompanied by suffocation, angina pectoris, dizziness, weakness, fainting, and the development of cardiogenic shock.

Symptoms depending on the form of arrhythmia:

1. Feelings of frequent, irregular heartbeat are observed with atrial fibrillation.
2. Fading of cardiac activity and discomfort in the heart area - with sinus arrhythmia.
3. With extrasystole, patients complain of sensations of freezing, jolting and interruptions in the heart.
4. Palpitations are usually associated with sinus tachycardia.
5. Paroxysmal tachycardia is characterized by suddenly developing and stopping attacks of heartbeat up to 140-220 beats. per minute
6. Attacks of dizziness and fainting - with sinus bradycardia or sick sinus syndrome.

There are so-called “silent” arrhythmias that do not manifest themselves clinically. They are usually detected by physical examination or electrocardiography.

Arrhythmia during pregnancy

The prognosis of pregnancy and upcoming birth depends on how the woman’s heart reacts to expected events. However, we must not forget that pregnancy itself, being an unusual condition, can cause rhythm disturbances and arrhythmia. For example, the appearance of extrasystole or paroxysmal tachycardia during pregnancy, as a rule, does not indicate organic damage to the myocardium, and occurs in approximately 19-20% of pregnant women. And if late toxicosis is added to all this, then you can’t expect anything else from the heart, the arrhythmias will intensify.

This type of arrhythmia, such as complete or incomplete atrioventricular block, does not pose a particular danger to a woman’s health. In addition, pregnancy increases the ventricular rate, so measures are taken only in cases where the pulse drops to 35 beats per minute or below (obstetrics - application of obstetric forceps). But with organic cardiac pathology, women are treated with increased attention, since the appearance of atrial fibrillation in such a situation is a contraindication to continuing pregnancy. In addition, choosing a method of delivery before term also requires special care. It seems that such a gentle, in other cases, cesarean section in such patients can threaten thromboembolism in the pulmonary artery system (PE).

Of course, no one can prevent anyone from becoming pregnant, so women with heart pathology consciously take risks, driven by their cherished desire - to become a mother. But if pregnancy has already occurred, then the doctor’s instructions and recommendations must be followed strictly: follow a work and rest schedule, take the necessary medications and, if necessary, be hospitalized under medical supervision. Childbirth in such women, as a rule, takes place in a specialized clinic, where a woman can at any time receive emergency medical care (taking into account cardiac pathology) in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Diagnostics

If signs of arrhythmia are detected, the doctor will prescribe a complete examination of the heart and blood vessels to identify its cause. Primary diagnostic methods are listening to the heart and ECG.

If the pathology is not permanent, Holter monitoring is used - round-the-clock recording of heart rhythms using special sensors (performed in a hospital). In some cases, passive research is not enough. Then doctors induce arrhythmia by artificial means. Several standard tests have been developed for this purpose. Here they are:

Treatment of cardiac arrhythmia

In the case of diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, the choice of treatment tactics is made taking into account the cause, type of cardiac arrhythmia and the general condition of the patient. Sometimes, to restore normal heart function, it is enough to carry out medical correction of the underlying disease. In other cases, the patient may require drug or surgical treatment, which must be carried out under systematic ECG monitoring.

Medicines used in drug therapy of arrhythmias:

• calcium channel blockers – /;
• beta blockers – metoprolol / / ;
• potassium channel blockers – /sotohexal;
• sodium channel blockers – novocainomide/lidocaine.

Surgical intervention is resorted to at stages of severe degradation of cardiac muscle tissue. The following procedures may be prescribed:

• electrocardiostimulation;
• implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator;
• catheter radiofrequency ablation.

Treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, especially its complex forms, is carried out only by a cardiologist. The above drugs can only be used according to strict indications, depending on the type of arrhythmia. At the beginning of treatment, the selection of the drug should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, and in severe cases only in a hospital setting. Taking into account the established diagnosis, the doctor selects drug therapy.

Folk remedies

Let us immediately note that when diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia, folk remedies should be used only as an addition to traditional medications, but in no case replace them. In fact, herbs only speed up the healing process, but are not able to cure a person completely. This is what you should proceed from when choosing your favorite recipes.

1. Pour a glass of boiling water over 30 hawthorn berries and place the mixture on low heat for 10-15 minutes. The decoction is consumed fresh in equal portions throughout the day.
2. Mix one bottle each of alcoholic tincture of valerian, hawthorn and motherwort. Shake the mixture well and place it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The medicine is taken 30 minutes before meals, 1 teaspoon.
3. Boil a glass of water in an enamel pan, and then add 4 grams of Adonis herb to it. Cook the mixture for 4-5 minutes over low heat, then cool it and place the pan in a warm, dry place for 20-30 minutes. The strained broth is stored in the refrigerator, taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
4. Cut 0.5 kg of lemons and fill them with fresh honey, adding 20 kernels taken from apricot pits to the mixture. Mix the mixture thoroughly and take 1 tablespoon morning and evening.

Consequences

The course of any arrhythmia can be complicated by ventricular fibrillation and flutter, which is tantamount to circulatory arrest, and lead to the death of the patient. Already in the first seconds, dizziness and weakness develop, then loss of consciousness, involuntary urination and convulsions. Blood pressure and pulse are not determined, breathing stops, the pupils dilate - a state of clinical death occurs.

In patients with chronic circulatory failure (angina pectoris, mitral stenosis), shortness of breath occurs during paroxysms of tachyarrhythmia and pulmonary edema may develop.

With complete atrioventricular block or asystole, syncope may develop (Morgagni-Adams-Stokes attacks, characterized by episodes of loss of consciousness), caused by a sharp decrease in cardiac output and blood pressure and a decrease in blood supply to the brain.

Thromboembolic complications in atrial fibrillation lead to cerebral stroke in every sixth case.

Prevention

Even when you know what kind of ailment it is, any advice on how to treat arrhythmia will be useless if you do not follow simple rules of prevention at home:

1. Morning exercises, or athletics.
2. Monitor blood sugar and blood pressure levels
3. Give up all bad habits.
4. Maintain your weight within normal limits.
5. Live as calm and balanced a lifestyle as possible, with minimal exposure to excessive emotions, stress and tension.
6. A healthy diet consisting of exclusively natural products.

If the first signs of arrhythmia appear, then you should not wait for more serious symptoms to develop; consult a doctor immediately, then the risk of developing complications and worsening your overall health will be much lower.

Forecast

In prognostic terms, arrhythmias are extremely ambiguous. Some of them (supraventricular extrasystoles, rare ventricular extrasystoles), not associated with organic heart pathology, do not pose a threat to health and life. Atrial fibrillation, on the contrary, can cause life-threatening complications: ischemic stroke, severe heart failure.

The most severe arrhythmias are flutter and ventricular fibrillation: they pose an immediate threat to life and require resuscitation measures.

Sometimes the heart rhythm fails, and the reasons for this condition can be different. If this was not caused by emotional manifestations or drinking strong drinks, you should consult a doctor.

Our heart performs about one hundred thousand contractions per day. If the electrical impulses are stable, we pay absolutely no attention to the heartbeat. When the system malfunctions, the pounding in the chest intensifies, the rhythm increases, or, conversely, a feeling of “fading” of the heart arises, this causes anxiety. A single manifestation of such a symptom may be a consequence of stress or overwork. If this happens repeatedly, this may indicate the presence of a serious pathology.

Causes of rhythm failure

The heart consists of two ventricles and the same number of atria. In the right atrium there is a sinus node, in which an electrical impulse is generated. Spreading through the atrioventricular node, His bundle, and Purkinje fibers, it initiates contraction of the organ. The norm assumes a frequency of such passages ranging from 60 to 90 times per minute. With the correct rhythm, the frequency of heart contractions is the same. If a disturbance occurs in any area of ​​the conduction system, the normal passage of the impulse is disrupted. Accordingly, the heart rhythm fails.

But this phenomenon is not always pathological.

For example, a natural heart rhythm disorder in the form of moderate bradycardia (a slight slowdown in the contractility of the organ) occurs in humans at night. This is due to the predominance of vagal effects on the heart. In addition, during the rest period, sinus arrhythmia, extrasystole, and grade 1 atrioventricular conduction disturbance may be observed.

Under stress, strong emotional stress, and significant physical exertion, tachycardia can also be observed. This occurs due to disturbances in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and the entry of adrenaline into the blood, which leads to an increase in heart rate. A similar symptom can be caused by a considerable amount of coffee, alcoholic drinks, and nicotine. Significant consumption of alcohol-containing beverages leads to the formation of a paroxysm of atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia.

In addition, changes in heart rate can be a consequence of changes in the electrolyte balance of the blood and in the viscosity of biological fluid.

Such atypical transformations can lead to:

• inflammatory processes occurring in the body;
• overheating or hypothermia;
• large blood loss;
• collapse;
• intoxication;
• clinical-hematological syndrome;
• dehydration.

All the above reasons are temporary. They do not require treatment and disappear after eliminating the factors that led to the arrhythmia.

But heart rhythm disturbances can also cause complex diseases. Moreover, a failure in the functioning of an organ can provoke pathological processes occurring not only in the heart, but also in other organs.

So, the following ailments can lead to arrhythmia:

1. Cardiovascular diseases - defects, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, endocarditis, cardiosclerosis, myocarditis, heart failure, pericarditis, rheumatic carditis.
2. Diseases of the nervous system - prolonged psychogenic disorders, VSD, stroke, brain injury, oncological processes.
3. Pathologies of the endocrine system - absolute or relative deficiency of the hormone insulin, increased or decreased activity of thyroid hormones, pheochromocytoma, menopause.
4. Diseases of the gastrointestinal system - hiatal hernia, inflammation of the gallbladder, pancreas.

Most often, as a result of such factors, sinus tachycardia, bradycardia, atrial and ventricular extrasystole, supraventricular tachycardia, atrioventricular and His bundle block occur.

Types of heart rhythm disturbances

In a healthy person, the heart rhythm is sinus and regular. This means that each impulse originates in the sinus node and then arrives with the same frequency. In the event of any failure in the passage of the heart rate, it can decrease or increase. Such dysfunctions can be of several types.

Violation of impulse appearance

With this pathology, the impulse is created either very often or too rarely. In the first case, sinus tachycardia is diagnosed (the heart beats at a frequency of more than 90 beats per minute).

In the second option, sinus bradycardia is stated (the organ contracts less than 60 times per minute).

When an impulse is formed in other areas of the conduction system, an ectopic focus of excitation occurs. It can be located in the atrial sections, atrioventricular node, or ventricles. As a result, slow, slipping, rapid ectopic rhythms, untimely depolarization and contraction of the organ or its individual chambers, paroxysmal tachycardia, and flutter appear.

Blockades

Such disturbances in the conduction of impulses through an organ can occur in any area of ​​the system. Therefore, blockades can be sinoatrial, intraatrial, atrioventricular, or the His bundle.

Combined types

This category includes dysfunctions in which another ectopic pacemaker operates simultaneously with the sinus one, but the deviations are separated by a blockade. In such a case, the ventricles contract at one frequency, and the atria at another.

First aid

Unpleasant sensations in the chest necessarily require calling an ambulance. And before her arrival, the patient needs to be helped.

General actions come down to the following points:

1. The person should be calmed and forced to take a horizontal position.
2. If the pulse is frequent, you should put a pillow under your head; if your heart beats rarely, it should be placed under your knees.
3. It is necessary to unbutton the collar on the patient’s clothes and open the window.
4. Blood pressure should be measured.
5. When a heart rhythm disturbance has caused stress or anxiety, a person should be given a few drops of Corvalol, tincture of valerian root or other sedatives.
6. If a heart rhythm disturbance is accompanied by pain in the chest area, Nitroglycerin should be placed under the tongue.
7. If your heart rate increases, you can use a vagal test: strain while taking a deep breath, close your eyes and press on your eyelids, induce vomiting or coughing.

The human heart contracts with a certain rhythm; normally, a person should not feel heart contractions. The number of contractions of the heart muscle is individual for each person, but still they should not be less than 60 and more than 80 beats per minute. The functioning of the main muscular organ is ensured by the conduction system, in the event that this system malfunctions and various types of arrhythmias occur. The causes of heart rhythm disturbances are quite varied, some of them can be very dangerous for human health and vital functions.

Arrhythmia can occur due to organic damage to the heart muscle, the causes of which are:

1. Cardiac vascular ischemia.
2. Congenital and acquired heart defects.
3. Hypertension.
4. Heart failure.
5. Severe intoxication of the body when taking certain medications, alcohol and the influence of certain chemical compounds.
6. Violation of the hormonal balance of the body.
7. Infectious diseases.
8. Traumatization and surgical treatment of the heart muscle.

However, arrhythmia can also appear in a healthy person (it lasts for a short period of time), this occurs for the following reasons:

1. Severe stress.
2. Excessive physical activity.
3. Large meals.
4. Constipation.
5. Wearing clothes that are too tight.
6. In women it may be a manifestation of premenstrual syndrome.

If the arrhythmia is physiological, then treatment is not required. It does not cause discomfort or disturb a person.

A number of risk factors contribute to the development of this pathology:

1. Genetic predisposition. People with congenital heart defects are more prone to developing heart rhythm problems.
2. Age. The older a person gets, the more likely he is to experience problems with the heart muscle. The heart wears out, and under the influence of various diseases the conduction system can fail.
3. Diseases of the heart muscle. Arrhythmia quite often occurs on the basis of existing diseases (with ischemic heart disease, after a myocardial infarction).

Types of heart rhythm disorders

There are two main groups of arrhythmias depending on the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle:

1. Tachyarrhythmias (increased heart rate).
2. Bradyarrhythmias (decreased heart rate).

Depending on the damage to parts of the conduction system, several types of arrhythmias are distinguished, here are their characteristics:

1. Sinus tachycardia occurs due to damage or weakness of the sinus node (this is the place where the electrical impulse is generated, without which contractions cannot occur). In this case, the heart rate is more than 80 beats per minute. The etiology of this heart rhythm disturbance is varied: general hyperthermia of the body, severe stress and increased physical activity. Quite rarely, the cause of this condition is heart disease. Symptoms of this condition may be completely absent or appear mild.
2. , it is characterized by a decrease in the number of contractions of the heart muscle (less than 60 beats per minute). This type of heart rhythm disorder can occur in healthy people who exercise at rest or during a night's rest. This pathological condition most often occurs due to dysfunction of the thyroid gland, or rather, when it decreases. Patients complain of discomfort in the heart area, dizziness, increased fatigue and lethargy.
3. manifested by alternating acceleration and deceleration of heart rate. This condition is often observed in childhood and adolescence. Attacks of arrhythmia can be directly related to breathing, so when you inhale, the number of heart contractions increases, and when you exhale, on the contrary, it decreases. There are no symptoms of this condition, and the patient’s well-being does not suffer. Treatment in this case is not required.
4. Extrasystole is an additional heart contraction that should not have occurred during this interval. Normally, a healthy person may experience isolated failures of this kind. This condition can be caused by diseases of the internal organs and the presence of bad habits in the patient. Extrasystoles are felt as strong shocks in the chest or as...
5. Paroxysmal tachycardia is characterized by proper functioning of the heart muscle with a rapid heartbeat. A rhythm with a frequency of more than 100 beats per minute is recorded. An attack of arrhythmia occurs and disappears suddenly, while the patient feels increased heartbeat and general weakness, and increased sweating is observed.
6. Atrial fibrillation or atrial fibrillation. This type of arrhythmia is characterized by uneven contraction of individual sections of the atrium and increased contractile movements of the ventricles (more than 100 beats per minute). This pathology appears in the presence of defects and diseases of the heart muscle and thyroid gland, as well as in alcohol dependence. There may be no symptoms or the patient complains of difficulty breathing, pain and fluttering in the heart area.
7. Ventricular fibrillation and flutter is a very serious condition that occurs due to electrical injuries, severe heart disease and drug poisoning. During an attack, the heart stops working, there is no pulse, convulsions and wheezing appear. How to relieve an attack? This condition requires emergency medical care and resuscitation measures.
8. Heart blocks are characterized by slowing down or stopping the conduction of electrical impulses through the heart muscle. There are incomplete and complete blockades. The most dangerous are complete blockades; they are characterized by the appearance of convulsions and fainting. Sudden death can occur with some types of complete blockade.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made based on the patient’s complaints, examination and instrumental studies:

1. Electrocardiography. Using this diagnostic method, you can evaluate the rhythm and frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, as well as the condition of the myocardium and heart chambers.
2. Ultrasound examination of the heart. This diagnostic method allows you to detect heart disease that can cause arrhythmia. The condition of the heart and its contractile function, its size and the functioning of the valve apparatus are assessed.
3. Daily monitoring – continuous recording of an electrocardiogram throughout the day. This study helps to identify not only arrhythmia, but also to determine at what time it occurs and what it may be associated with.

Treatment options

In this case, it is strictly prohibited to engage in independent treatment, as this can be dangerous to the patient’s life. Therapy is carried out after a thorough diagnosis. For treatment to be effective, it is necessary to determine the cause of the arrhythmia. If the rhythm disturbance is caused by any disease, then treatment of the underlying disease is carried out. Treatment of arrhythmia can be conservative or surgical.

Conservative treatment:

1. Taking medications (antiarrhythmic treatment).
2. Electrophysiological methods of treatment: cardiac pacing, ablation of the lesion (for tachyarrhythmias), defibrillation.

According to indications, surgical treatment of bradyarrhythmia is performed:

1. Installation of an artificial pacemaker (pacemaker).
2. Installation of a special defibrillator (resynchronization therapy).

The operation is performed under local anesthesia under X-ray supervision.

First aid for heart rhythm disturbances will depend on the type of pathology.

What to do if an attack occurs for the first time? In this case, it is imperative to call an ambulance. Until medical professionals arrive, those around you should help the patient remain calm and reassure the patient. He needs to be helped to find a comfortable position (sitting/lying) and ensure fresh air enters the room. You can relieve an attack by inducing vomiting. Changing your body position (from standing to lying down) can also help. The doctor uses medications to relieve the attack.

If an attack occurs not for the first time, then the patient must be provided with psychological and physical rest. The patient should take any sedative (Corvalol, motherwort or valerian tincture). A person can do breathing exercises on his own. Take a deep breath, then hold your breath and close your eyes, using your fingers to gently press on your eyelids (10 seconds). Do this exercise for 1 minute.

How to relieve an attack of ventricular arrhythmia? In this case, the person lacks consciousness. Call an ambulance. The patient should tilt their head back to keep the airway open. If the collar of the garment is tight, then it should be unbuttoned. If there is no pulse, then resuscitation measures are carried out, which include chest compressions and artificial ventilation. To do this, the person must be laid on a flat and hard surface. Medical workers defibrillate and administer medications.

The heart is the most important organ of the human body, performing the work of pumping blood. In a healthy person, the heart rhythm is always smooth and constant. Heart rhythm disturbances (ICD code 10 – I49) are also called arrhythmia. This disease is considered secondary and has its own distinctive signs. Below are the symptoms accompanying heart rhythm disturbances, causes, and treatment of the pathology.

You can understand the mechanism of development of disorders if you carefully understand how the organ functions. In the sinus node (also called the pacemaker), a signal is generated, which in a split second reaches the atrioventricular node. During this period of time, the atria contract, and after further signal transmission, the ventricles. The coordinated work of all these parts is the basis for proper blood circulation.

The cerebral cortex is responsible for the number of contractions of the heart muscle over a certain period of time and their intensity. Slowing or speeding up the heartbeat is associated with various situations: excessive physical activity, stress, sleep. This happens under the influence of pituitary hormones and the vagus nerve.

In a normal state, the heart rate is in the range of 60-80 beats/min. At the same time, the heart beats evenly and calmly. The failure that arises in the described process can be expressed by a violation of the conductivity of the heart, the contractility of its muscles, and automatism. Sometimes these problems combine, leading to even worsening of the condition.

An increase in heart rate or a slowdown caused by natural causes and returning to normal after some time is not a disease. Failures that arise as a result of deviations in the functioning of other organs and systems are considered pathological and require urgent medical intervention.

Classification of arrhythmias

All heart rhythm disturbances are classified according to the course of the disease, etiology of development and characteristic features. The following forms of pathology are distinguished:

In addition to slowing and increasing heart rate, there are three more types of rhythm disturbances:

1. Paroxysmal tachycardia. The disease is characterized by frequent attacks of a sharp increase in heart rate. Sometimes the pulse can reach 140-200 beats/min. and higher. Contractions of the heart muscle occur rhythmically without interruption.
2. Rhythm disturbances such as ventricular extrasystole. Extraordinary excitation of the heart muscle, provoked by an additionally formed node, which takes on the functions of a pacemaker. This formation is located on the walls of the ventricles or atria and causes the heart to perform unnecessary contractions. This type of arrhythmia can occur as bigeminy - when every second muscle contraction is provoked by a non-sinus node, and as trigeminy - every third contraction.
3. Atrial fibrillation (atrial fibrillation). This condition is the most severe rhythm disorder. This type of arrhythmia occurs in the presence of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. The pathology is characterized by irregular and too frequent (rare) excitations of the heart muscle, its atria, and ventricles. At the same time, contractions are heterogeneous in strength and frequency, and the duration of the cycle fluctuates over large intervals. Depending on the heart rate, there are three types of atrial fibrillation: bradysystolic, normosystolic and tachysystolic.

Causes of pathology

The main factor provoking deterioration of cardiac activity is deviations in the electrolyte composition of the blood. An imbalance of the microelements magnesium, potassium and sodium as a result of the development of inflammation, hyperthermia, after overheating, hypothermia and many other conditions leads to one-time episodes of rhythm disturbances. After the underlying disease is eliminated, heart rate and rhythm return to normal.

The risk group for the development of arrhythmias are patients:

Severe forms of arrhythmia can occur against the background of certain concomitant diseases. This includes pathologies:

• cardiovascular system (heart attack, hypertension, heart failure, ischemia, cardiosclerosis, cardiomyopathy, endocarditis, myocarditis, heart defects);
• neurological nature (brain injuries, neuroses, VSD, circulatory disorders);
• endocrine glands (problems with the adrenal glands, diabetes, hyper-, hypothyroidism);
• gastrointestinal system (peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, pancreatitis).

If it is not possible to establish the cause of the arrhythmia, an idiopathic heart rhythm disturbance is diagnosed and symptomatic treatment is carried out aimed at eliminating the disruption.

Symptoms of heart rhythm disturbances

Quite often, arrhythmias are practically asymptomatic, and patients learn about abnormalities in the heart only after undergoing an electrocardiogram. Heart rhythm disturbances are accompanied by symptoms, which doctors divide into two large groups, depending on the effect of the pathology on cardiac activity: it speeds up or slows down the work of the heart muscle. Patients suffering from tachycardial arrhythmias talk about feelings of interruptions in the functioning of the heart, and when the contraction slows down, deviations in the circulatory system appear.

To make a diagnosis, pay attention to the general signs of all arrhythmias:

Depending on the type of disorder, all symptoms vary in severity and can occur in combination. The most dangerous condition is atrial fibrillation, since there is a high probability of cardiac arrest during an attack.

Diagnostics

The most common diagnostic method for detecting arrhythmias is an electrocardiogram. The graph clearly identifies deviations. In addition to the ECG, the patient may be prescribed other instrumental research methods:

In addition, cardiac ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging may be required. These methods make it possible to identify abnormalities in the structure of the heart and diagnose tumor formations that cause arrhythmia.

Treatment

Only a doctor should treat all types of arrhythmias. Based on the results of the examination and detailed examination, a treatment regimen is drawn up, including taking medications in combination with therapeutic exercises and diet. Exercising is the best way to increase endurance, improve the patient’s general condition, and strengthen the heart muscle.

If there are disturbances in the heart rhythm, nutritional correction is necessary. Fried, smoked, too fatty, and salty foods should be excluded from the diet. Food is best prepared by regular boiling or using a steamer. It is worth giving up confectionery products, and instead diversify your diet with vegetables and fruits.

You should not strain your body with excessive stress. Regular exercises and walks in the fresh air are the best option for patients with arrhythmia. Over time, the load can be gradually increased.

Drug treatment

Elimination of rhythm disturbances is carried out with special blockers. The principle of action of such drugs is to prevent the influence of certain factors on the blood vessels and muscle of the heart. Among the most effective, it is worth highlighting means that block:

Only a doctor should choose the appropriate medicine for heart rhythm disturbances and treat the pathology. Independent selection of antiarrhythmic drugs can lead to a deterioration in the patient’s condition and provoke the development of complications.

In addition, for arrhythmias, vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed to restore the electrolyte balance of the blood, as well as cardiac glycosides. The action of the latter is aimed at reducing heart rate and restoring the rhythm of the sinus node.

Surgical intervention

If it is not possible to restore normal heart function with the help of medications, then surgery will be required. Surgical intervention is necessary to relieve arrhythmia and reduce the risk of death. Several different techniques can be used for this.

The average lifespan of an electronic device is 8-10 years, after which it requires checking and replacing the batteries. When a device becomes obsolete, it is replaced with a new one.

Traditional methods of treatment

Medicinal herbs can be an excellent addition to the main course of treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. However, they should not completely replace prescribed medications. The following plants are considered the most effective:

The drug course of therapy can last six months or more. Folk remedies are used at the end of treatment for prevention.

Features in children and adolescents

Heart rhythm disturbances in children can occur both due to congenital anomalies of heart development and acquired ones. Perinatal pathologies diagnosed in newborns account for no more than 25% of the total number of diseases; in other cases, disorders develop due to the restructuring of the child’s body during growth.

Arrhythmias are almost always asymptomatic in children. They are usually identified during standard medical examinations. Typically, such arrhythmias are not accompanied by persistent disturbances in cardiac activity, and therefore are easily amenable to drug correction.

Arrhythmia can develop in the fetus during pregnancy. There can be many reasons for this: unbalanced diet, chronic diseases in women, disruptions in metabolic processes, bad habits. Treatment in this case should only be prescribed by a doctor.

Complications

In the absence of necessary therapy against the background of arrhythmias, serious and dangerous consequences may develop:

• myocardial infarction due to lack of oxygen in the blood and tissues;
• ischemic stroke due to thrombosis in the cardiac cavity;
• thromboembolism of the main pulmonary artery;
• collapse (presyncope, sharp decrease in blood pressure);
• ventricular fibrillation (emergency care required).

Forecast

If there are no pathological changes in the structure of the heart, then the prognosis for life of patients with arrhythmia is quite favorable. Most rhythm disturbances respond well to drug treatment. In other situations, the prognosis depends on the type, severity of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies. With an uncomplicated course, patients of military age are subject to recruitment into the army.

Diseases of the heart and cardiovascular system are one of the largest groups of diseases that quite often lead to death.

A person with a heart disorder - depending on its type - can live for several decades, or can die almost instantly.

Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor your heart health, especially if there are disturbances in its functioning or there are concomitant diseases that can affect the functioning of this vital organ.

What is heart rate?

Heart rhythm is the main characteristic of the heart, one of the important indicators of the organ’s functioning, by which the presence of pathology can be determined. It indicates how often it contracts and at what intervals it occurs. Heart rhythm is characterized by the frequency of heart contractions per unit time, as well as the duration of the break between contractions.

If the heart muscle contracts evenly, each cardiac cycle (sequential contraction and relaxation) takes the same amount of time - the rhythm is normal. If the duration of several cycles is not the same, there are rhythm disturbances.

The heart rhythm is set by cells in the sinus node (this part of the heart is called the Keith-Fluck node) - pacemakers that generate impulses.

The impulses are then transmitted to muscle cells, causing them to contract and subsequently relax. Since the heart is formed by muscle cells that have a high ability to contract, impulses affect the entire organ, causing it to contract rhythmically and pump blood.

Heart rate: what is normal?

Typically, the heart muscle contracts at a frequency of 60 to 100 beats per minute - depending on the state of the body, the influence of internal and external factors.

A normal heart rate is between 60 and 90 beats per minute. The more precise number depends on age, level of physical activity and other factors. If a person’s heart rate is 91 beats per minute, this is not a reason to call an ambulance. But exceeding the healthy heart rate by at least 5 units is a reason to consult a doctor and undergo additional examination.

In women, the heart rate is on average 7-8 units higher than in men.

The norms for a healthy heartbeat in children are higher - on average about 120 times per minute. This is due to the fact that the child’s blood volume is small, and the cells need more nutrients and oxygen.

Therefore, the heart needs to work faster in order to deliver oxygen to the cells in a timely manner.

The normal heart rate depending on gender in adults is shown in the table below:

As you can see, with age, the heart rate increases (on average, by 5 beats every 10 years). This is due to a decrease in the elasticity of the heart muscle and a deterioration in the condition of blood vessels.

Heart rhythm disturbances: what are they?

An important indicator is the interval between contractions. It should be the same. Otherwise, we can talk about a heart rhythm disorder.

The interval between beats at rest is assessed: during physical or emotional stress, the heart contracts more often, so the interval between beats is shortened - but again it should be uniform.

If the interval is uneven, the duration of one of the periods is reduced:

1. Systole– period of contraction of the heart muscle. As a result, the volume of transported oxygen decreases, and organs and tissues suffer from oxygen starvation.
2. Diastole– a period of her relaxation. As a result, the heart muscle does not rest and is regularly overexerted, resulting in chronic diseases of the organ.

Heart failures occur frequently. If everything is fine, a person does not hear or feel his heart beating. If there is a violation, a person feels a pulsation or experiences discomfort - a feeling of lack of air, dizziness, etc. Often, these ailments are not paid attention to and they find out about the disturbance in heart rhythm during a routine examination or examination.

An abnormal heart rhythm is called arrhythmia. There are several types of it:

1. Bradycardia– slowing the heart rate, leads to oxygen starvation and weakness. It occurs for natural reasons, when a person is weakened after an illness, during prolonged relaxation. If bradycardia is caused by reasons not related to health problems and occurs sporadically, it is not dangerous. But it may indicate pathological changes in the structure of the heart if it is permanent.
2. Tachycardia– acceleration of heart rate. An increase in heart rate of 20-25 units during intense physical activity is normal. But tachycardia at rest is dangerous because it causes increased impact on blood vessels and the heart muscle wears out faster.
3. Extrasystole– the appearance of extra blows, as a result, the interval between blows either increases or decreases. The most common causes are ischemia and atherosclerotic damage to the heart muscle. Most often occurs in older people.
4. Atrial fibrillation- complete rhythm disturbance. It occurs when the heart muscle does not contract completely, but only twitches slightly. This type of arrhythmia indicates serious heart problems and requires careful and immediate examination and treatment. Often occurs with lung diseases.

Why do heart rhythm disturbances occur?

Heart rhythm disturbances are:

1. Temporary- lasts several minutes, then the heart rate normalizes on its own.
2. Permanent– when they are associated with the presence of pathology and disease of the heart itself or other organs.

Most often, heart rhythm disturbances are caused by:

• Hypertension;
• Chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• Damage to the heart muscle;
• Constant stress;
• Presence of mental disorders and diseases;
• Diabetes;
• Poor circulation, decreased vascular tone, varicose veins;
• Obesity;
• Bad habits (smoking, alcoholism, abuse of caffeine and other substances that cause spasms of blood vessels and affect heart rate);
• Some medications.

Heart diseases that affect the occurrence of arrhythmia:

1. Cardiomyopathy. With it, the walls of the atria and ventricles can thicken or, on the contrary, become too thin, as a result of which the volume of blood that is pumped per contraction decreases.
2. Ischemic disease occurs when some of the small blood vessels become severely narrowed. As a result, part of the heart muscle does not receive oxygen and dies. The consequence of this disorder is ventricular arrhythmia.
3. Heart valve diseases. Because of them, the volume of blood pumped changes, which also affects the number of contractions necessary to maintain life.

Thyroid diseases are a risk factor for the development of arrhythmia. Patients with thyroid dysfunction need to be examined by a cardiologist from time to time.

Among women

Tachycardia in a woman occurs during pregnancy and menopause. If it is not accompanied by other symptoms, there is no reason to see a doctor.

Causes of poor heart health and heart rate disorders also include:

1. Excessive emotionality.
2. Serious physical activity.
3. Chronic stress.

In men

Representatives of the stronger sex are less attentive to their health.

Changes in their heart rate are caused by:

1. Excessive physical activity during sports.
2. On the contrary - the absence of any physical activity.
3. Bad habits.
4. Poor nutrition, excess fatty foods.

In women, arrhythmia usually occurs after 50 years, in men a little earlier - after 45 years.

In children, heart rhythm disturbances occur due to congenital or inflammatory heart diseases, severe poisoning and intoxication, and disorders of the nervous system.

Symptoms that accompany arrhythmia

The presence of heart disease leads to a gradual weakening of the heart muscle and the sinus node itself, which produces impulses.

This is accompanied by characteristic symptoms:

Diagnostics

Only subjective sensations or the presence of several symptoms are not enough to make an accurate diagnosis, determine the type of arrhythmia, its causes and prescribe the correct treatment.

The following methods are used for diagnosis:

1. Electrocardiography (ECG) is the simplest, fastest and most common examination method. It gives a complete picture of the duration of the heartbeat phases.
2. Echocardiography allows you to assess the size of the heart chambers, the thickness of the walls, and observe their movement.
3. Monitoring using the Holter method, when a special sensor is installed on the patient’s arm. During the day, it constantly records your heart rate - at rest, while performing everyday activities.

Treatment and prevention

Arrhythmia is mainly treated with medication. For this purpose, antiarrhythmic drugs and medications are prescribed to maintain and improve the functioning of the heart muscle. . Treatment of concomitant diseases is mandatory.

Reflex effects include various types of massage that help improve blood circulation, reduce or increase the heart rate.

In case of serious disorders, I use the installation of pacemakers and pacemakers. They take on those functions that the damaged sinus node cannot cope with.

Check out pacemakers

It is extremely rare, but physiotherapeutic treatment is used. It is effective if the arrhythmia is caused not by physiological disorders, but by the consequences of stress and disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system.

To prevent the risk of arrhythmia and get rid of it in the early stages, you need to:

1. Normalize your rest schedule - get enough sleep regularly, avoid serious physical activity, but do not completely give up physical activity.
2. To be less nervous, you can take light soothing teas.
3. Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.
4. Review your diet - give up baked goods, fatty and sweet foods, eat more vegetables and light protein foods.
5. Eat foods rich in magnesium and potassium (microelements necessary for the health of the nervous and cardiovascular systems) - legumes, apricots, bananas.
6. Control your weight and gradually get rid of extra pounds.
7. Regularly undergo preventive examinations, monitor blood pressure and pulse parameters.

Video: Atrial flutter. Heart rhythm disturbance